Eternal Serenity
by Lisette
Summary: Complete - Things are about to change forever...
1. Forgotten Memories

**"Eternal Serenity: Forgotten Memories"**   
by Lisette   
Please send all comments/criticisms to: [Lisette_1@lycos.com][1]

Disclaimers: The characters within all belong to Naoko Takeuchi, DIC, Toei Animation and whoever else has rights to them. I own nothing but the story idea found within.

Author's Babble: This is my second fic for the SM universe and if interested, please feel free to check out my other fic at [http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/index.html][2]. Also, any comments/criticisms would be greatly appreciated at the e-mail address listed above.

Description: Some friends are better left as memories.

Rated: PG-13

* * *

**"Eternal Serenity: Forgotten Memories"**

North Pole -- two months earlier

Muttering softly to himself, the man slowly pulled his coat tighter against the fierce arctic wind as his crew stood impatiently behind him. "Come on Henry, you gotta decide now," a short woman, all but hidden under her massive coat, yelled in his ear, trying to be heard over the howling wind.

Growling softly to himself, Henry slowly looked away from the battered map that he held in his hands and surveyed the bleak land. Henry Parker had been given the opportunity of a lifetime--take a group of well known scientists and do an investigation in the barren wasteland that was known as North Pole to see how badly the polar ice caps really were melting--to see what kind of a danger the world really was in from its own stupidness. And so far, three weeks into the experimentation, things were going wonderfully! The data was just rolling in and now they had a week left.. which left him at an indecision. They had one week to pick one last location to run their tests at.. one last location that would hopefully further their results and now Henry was at an indecision. Should he pick the empty space to his right or the left? It was such a simple choice yet the consequences could be dramatic. If he chose the wrong place, that place could be the place that would bring up data that countered the end that they were working to.

"Henry, which way?" Dr. Stringer asked again as she tried to ignore the biting cold.

"We... we go to the right," Henry finally decided, indicating the place on the map as the group slowly moved forward, prepared to start setting up camp. If only Dr. Henry Parker has chosen to the left.. if so, such a tragedy could have been avoided. If only...

* * *

Crystal Tokyo

Sighing softly, Neo-Queen Serenity watched as her beautiful daughter skipped happily away, so full of her youthful energy and vigor that was so common for five year olds. As her long, pink hair bounced behind her, the young girl threw herself into the waiting arms of Sailor Pluto. Behind her, she knew that her friends and scouts stood tall in attention, there to see the young princess off. "Oh Reenie," Serenity murmured sadly as her husband drew her into his strong arms.

"What's wrong, Serena?" King Endymion asked as he unconsciously slipped back into the familiar names of their past. As his daughter waved good-bye and disappeared in a flash of light, the time key held firmly in her small hand, he sensed his wife's torment in blinding waves.

"Oh Darien, we shouldn't have let her go," Serenity whispered as she turned and slipped into his warm embrace, crystal tears sliding down her smooth cheek.

"But Sailor Pluto said that..."

"Reenie was needed in the past," Serenity finished as she turned and watched the place that her daughter once stood. Reenie had gone back to Tokyo of the past for her second time for a purpose that Sailor Pluto was keeping silent.. and Serenity didn't like it one bit. She found herself beginning to distrust the Guardian of Time. For some reason, she felt that Setsuna was not only withholding information from her and the others, but also downright lying to them. To make matters worse, while the others seemed perfectly content with ignoring the inconsistencies with the memories that they held of their past and of the stories that Reenie had told after her visit, Serenity found the differences too bizarre. To her knowledge, Reenie, her daughter from the future, had **never** paid Tokyo a visit. After the incident with the Doom Tree, she and Darien had never split up due to dreams, they had never faced Rubeus or healed the four sisters, or never did she join with her future self. While none doubted what Reenie told, the rest all brushed off the differences as a side effect of messing with time. Serenity didn't buy into that theory, especially when she merged with her past self to reclaim her daughter from Wicked Lady, that Sailor Moon had felt like.. well, like a familiar stranger if that was possible. It **was** her soul that she felt in the girl, the part that was really her, but little things were different at the same time, changed because of a visit from her future daughter that she didn't remember.

Shaking her head, Serenity forced back her tears and straightened her small shoulders. With her head held high, her twin plumes of sunshine swirling around her, and her large blue eyes twinkling with resolve, the young woman looked every bit the regal queen that she was. "Reenie, when you return I vow to learn the truth from Setsuna. Sailor Pluto shall not hide behind her vows of silence any longer," Neo-Queen Serenity murmured with an edge that was uncommon for her gentle heart as she allowed Endymion to begin leading her back to the palace. "This I promise."

* * *

Tokyo

Humming softly to herself, Serena absently ran the brush through one of her long tails of hair, a small smile on her face as she regarded her image through the clear mirror. Gone was the innocent, clumsy and whining girl of fourteen. In her place stood the young woman who had blossomed. While only three years had passed since the changes began, the difference was drastic. Her growth spurt had finally arrived and the inches were added on--true, she was still the shortest of the scouts, but with her trim and willowy figure, long legs, and lithe form, she looked more the young woman she now was than the young girl that she had been. Then again, the most obvious change in her could be seen in her eyes. The last three years of battle and heartache had added a wisdom that sparkled from amidst her large blue orbs--a deep wisdom that was easily hidden from the world beneath her exuberant nature. No, that hadn't changed. While she had finally grown accustomed to her long legs and arms, stopping the infamous klutz attacks, her bubbly and happy nature remained... and her hunger.

Finally, after years of amazement, the inner scouts had banned together and launched a scientific study, led by Amy, to discover why Serena had such a voracious appetite yet never seemed to gain any weight. In the end, the group was shocked to learn that the silver crystal and her actions as Sailor Moon drained off of her more than any of the others to the point that the large quantities of food that Serena consumed was essential for her body--she would weaken and eventually die without it. Even better for Serena, they also discovered that the sweets and fatty foods that she craved were the very items that gave her the most energy. Needless to say, after that the wisecracks and teasing about her appetite had quickly died away.

Things were indeed looking better for her. She was in control of herself and only had a year of school left before she was done for good... or until Darien followed through with his threat to make her go to college. But of course, that just brought her thoughts to bear on Darien. They had been together now for around two years (excluding their time on the moon) and they were closer than ever. Darien was now twenty-two years old and about to start his last year in college. To make it even better, she wouldn't be surprised if she finally received the ring she had been waiting for at Christmas. Even the thought of finally being engaged to Darien, her soul mate and eternal love, made her head swim and her eyes...

"Serena! Would you please stop drooling and get moving?!" a voice suddenly barked from behind her.

Startled, Serena focused once more on her image in her mirror as she gently placed her hairbrush back on the vanity table in her bedroom. "What are you talking about, Luna?" Serena asked as she blushed fiercely and began adjusting her short pair of shorts and her white tee-shirt, ignoring the stuffy summer heat.

"I can always tell when you're daydreaming about Darien because your eyes get all soft and dreamy," Luna muttered in disgusted annoyance from her position on Serena's bed as she slowly stood and stretched lazily.

"I... uh, wasn't thinking of **just** Darien," Serena admitted as she turned and scooped her guardian into her arms before plopping onto her bed.

"Agh, never mind," the black cat growled as she glanced at her ward's battered alarm clock. "You're going to be late again..."

"For what? School's out for the summer..."

"For the scout meeting that Raye called that starts in ten minutes..." Luna trailed off as Serena bolted to her feet, dropping her in a heap on the floor.

"Oh my God, I'm going to be so late!!" Serena screeched as she ran to the door. "Why didn't you remind me Luna?!" she wailed as she disappeared down the hall, running at full tilt.

"I reminded you repeatedly this morning," Luna sighed as she jumped to the open window, completely unimpressed with Serena's antics. "Some things never change," she muttered as she hopped lightly to the tree and then the ground below. Looking up, she saw the sun burning down from above in the cloudless sky and knew the temperature had to be in the 90's, making a mad dash to the temple the last thing she wanted to do. "Change, in Serena's case, can only be a positive thing," she muttered as Serena tore out of the house and down the street.

* * *

"Raye... is... going to kill me!" Serena gasped through clenched teeth, dodging the various pedestrians on the sidewalk as Luna raced alongside of her.

"If you would.. start listening to me.." Luna huffed as she snaked around a slow moving stroller, "then you wouldn't **always** be late!"

Before Serena could think of a suitable reply in her defense, she was rounding the familiar corner with her usual speed and lack of caution, never having learned the valuable lesson of patience that generally came with time. And, like every day for the last three years, her foolishness bought her a trip to the ground--only this time, the object of her downfall came from above.

"Oh, that hurt," Serena groaned as she slowly began massaging her pounding head. Sighing, she slowly sat up and began searching for the potted plant or whatever had dropped on her, waiting for Luna's scolding tirade to begin.

Instead, a small girl with long pink hair threw herself into Serena's arms, sending the blond back to the pavement once again. "Serena!!" the girl screeched as she crushed her in a bear-tight hug.

"Oof!" Serena cried out again as she fought for breath. Wincing, she slowly sat back up and pried the younger girl's arms from around her neck. Coughing at the rush of fresh oxygen, Serena slowly struggled to her feet before turning to finally regard her accoster. When she did, she felt her jaw drop in amazement. "Reenie?!" she cried as she took in the girl before her.

Her future daughter looked to be no more than five years old, just around the same age that she had been all those years ago when she had been on a mission from the future to save her mother... a full 4-5 years younger than when she visited last. "But, that's impossible!" Serena gasped, voicing her thoughts as she hugged the girl tightly to her. For the last two years Reenie had been stopping in from the future, each time getting progressively older--how could she be younger now?

Smiling happily, Reenie quickly pulled away and inspected the girl she had grown to love so much. "You're older!" she gasped as she took in Serena's taller and leaner form. "You really look like my mommy now," she murmured thoughtfully, wondering for the thousandth time why she didn't see the obvious resemblance before. "How long has it been since I left?" she asked curiously as she slipped her hand easily in Serena's, her eyes locked on the older girl.

"Which time?" Serena muttered as she began walking at a much more subdued pace, headed for the temple once again.

Groaning, Luna instantly swatted Serena with her tail before jumping lightly onto the older girl's shoulder. "Reenie, do you remember what we did the last time that you were here?" Luna asked, hoping that Serena would catch on and keep her mouth shut.

But at Luna's question, Reenie turned her puzzled red eyes back and forth from Serena to the familiar black cat. "Luna, did Serena leave you out in this hot sun for too long?" the small girl finally asked seriously before a small giggle escaped her lips.

As Luna rolled her eyes, Serena couldn't help the giggles that escaped her lips as well. "Something like that," Serena said before laughing fully at her guardian's expense.

Shaking her head, Reenie realized that no matter **how** old Serena got, her happy nature would never change--just like it never changed with her mommy. "When we saved my mommy," Reenie answered slowly before turning her intelligent eyes on her younger mommy. "What other times are there?" she asked pointedly, showing just how much of her daddy's smarts she had inherited. While her mommy ruled over Crystal Tokyo with her heart, her daddy ruled with his head, making them the perfect team. Perhaps in time she could learn to rule while using both.

"Um..." Serena began weakly, catching Luna's hint to keep quiet and understanding the need to avoid creating a paradox by telling Reenie of something that the little girl would be doing in her future... although she was still confused as to how a paradox hadn't already been created when they visited the future and saw so much of what would become of them.

"Reenie, what brings you to Tokyo?" Luna asked as nonchalantly as possible, desperate to change the subject before too much was revealed. While Serena had grown in the last few years and matured with her responsibilities, that didn't leave her immune to slip-ups.

"Um... I missed you all?" Reenie asked weakly as she quickly swung her eyes to the pavement.

Smiling slightly, Luna snuggled down onto Serena's shoulder. While she didn't doubt that the little girl had missed everyone, she knew that wasn't the reason for her return. It was obvious that very little time had passed for the girl since she had last visited, meaning that even though Crystal Tokyo was probably still returning to normal and being restored, she was here again, and at a time where a person would think she'd be desperate to be beside the mother and father that she had missed so desperately. Then again, she also knew that Sailor Pluto had most likely sworn the small girl to secrecy. Even though that most likely meant trouble for them, Luna wasn't about to press her for details for fear that Reenie would do the same. They all knew that they had their secrets and that was fine for now.

"Is everything okay in the future? Has the people from Nemesis made a reappearance?" Serena finally asked, wary of the tension and eager to change the subject once again.

"Oh, everything's great!" Reenie cried out happily as she began swinging her and Serena's hands, skipping happily beside the older girl. "How about Sammy and Aunt Ilene and Uncle Ken?" she asked quickly, her eyes shining.

Laughing, Serena couldn't help the large smile that was plastered across her face--she felt it rise up again every time she realized that this adorable little girl would someday be her and Darien's daughter. "They're all doing good.. and would you believe that Mika is Sammy's girlfriend now?"

"**WHAT?!?**" Reenie screeched as she stopped and stared at Serena in amazement. "Oh gross! Sammy's actually got a girlfriend?!"

Laughing, Serena quickly nodded her head, her blond tails bouncing behind her. "Yep!" Serena cried proudly, "Sammy finally came to his sense!"

"And how about Darien, Amy, Mina, Lita, and Raye?"

"Raye," Serena murmured weakly as she remembered what she had just forgotten again.

"Uh oh," Reenie mumbled, recognizing Serena's look of panic instantly. "Raye called a scout meeting?" she guessed.

"**WE'RE LATE!!!!**" Serena wailed in response as Luna instinctively dug her nails into Serena's tee-shirt, the teenager breaking into a dead run. "Raye's going to kill me!" she wailed as she drug the small girl behind her.

* * *

"I'm going to kill her," Raye muttered darkly as she paced back and forth in her small bedroom, her eyes snapping to the clock mounted on her wall.

Sighing, Amy tore her eyes away from her advanced trigonometry book and met Mina and Lita'a eyes over their beauty magazines. "Raye, she is only ten minutes late," Amy responded calmly.

"Eleven!" Raye called out harshly as she pulled to a sudden stop, her hands on her hips as she glared at her friends. "Would it kill her to be on time for once in her life? She'd probably be late to her own funeral!!"

Hiding her smirk, Lita quickly averted her eyes back to the article about how to get a boyfriend that she had been reading. "I'm sure that she has a good reason for being late..."

"I do!" Serena huffed as she burst into the room, holding a wall for support.

"You're **LATE**!" Raye cried out as she stalked angrily forward, her eyes blazing. "What's your excuse this time, Meatball Head?!"

"Reenie decided to drop in for a visit," Serena explained, gently rubbing her sore head as she moved to the side and revealed the little girl.

"Hi everyone!" Reenie called out happily as she bounced into the room, missing her friends' looks of surprise.

"Reenie?!?" they all cried out in amazement as they darted forward to wrap the small girl in a smothering embrace. "But, how is this..." Mina began to ask before Artemis sunk his claws into her leg.

As Mina cried out in pain and began to chase the white feline around the room, Luna quickly turned to the small girl. "Reenie, how would you like Artemis to take you for a tour of the temple and show you all that has changed while you've been away?"

"But I just got here," Reenie began doubtfully as she looked around at the friends that she had missed so much in Crystal Tokyo. While Sailor Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus were still Raye, Lita, Amy, and Mina in the future, it wasn't the same.

Shaking her head, Luna quickly snagged Artemis and drug her before the small girl. "Don't you want to see Grandpa and Chad?" Luna persisted as she nudged Artemis.

"Yeah, the girls aren't going anywhere--they're just going to be talking about the lack of scout activity in the last few months," Artemis added as he hopped into Reenie's arms and winked at her.

Rolling her eyes, Luna added the final bait. "Besides, while it's only been a little while for you, two years have passed for us."

At this, Reenie couldn't help but smile as she squeezed the white cat tighter in her arms. "Okay, let's go!" she cried out eagerly as she ran for the door. "See ya later!" she cried out to the girls before disappearing from sight.

As soon as she was gone, Luna quickly sighed in relief and indicated for the girls to come closer.

"How can she be younger?" Lita asked quickly as the girls settled around the black feline.

Shaking her head, Amy quickly began typing on her mini-computer. Sighing, she quickly brushed a strand of blue hair away as she met her friends' eyes. "The only thing that makes sense is that the older Reenie that we know for some reason decided to start visiting us earlier as she got older."

"So Reenie knew all during the incident with Mistress 9 and everything what would be happening to us at this point?" Raye asked slowly, her earlier anger forgotten.

"And she didn't tell us?!" Mina cried out in amazement.

"She couldn't," Amy quickly said in the little girl's defense. "That would be telling us too much of our own future and would create a paradox."

Troubled, Serena slowly chewed on her lip as her mind whirled. She decided not to point out the fact that they already knew too much of their own future and instead focused on something else. "Did... did you guys notice how many years have passed for Reenie in between this visit and her second for us?" she asked hesitantly. At the sudden quiet and her friends' blank looks, Serena nervously continued. "I mean.. I just wonder what happened now, in this trip, to make her want to wait almost two years of her time before coming back to visit..." she trailed off as her frown deepened. She had never told the others what Reenie had said to her the last time that she had returned to Crystal Tokyo. All of the good-bye that they shared were emotional and heartfelt, yet this last one was the worst. Reenie had been inconsolable and sobbing in a way that broke Serena's heart--she acted as though she would never see them again and that this good-bye was forever. To make matters worse, like always Serena and Reenie shared the last huge as the circle of friends surrounded them. As the tears had streaked down her face and Reenie sobbed in her arms she felt the younger girl lean forward till her lips brushed Serena's ear. And then she whispered the words that caused a sob to escape Serena's lips--the words that she'd remember till her dying day: _"I love you so much Serena... just like my mother. I have always wished that things could have been different and that you could have been her..."_ What had Reenie meant? She wished that Serena could have been who?

"Serena, just because she was seven during her second visit for us and five now doesn't mean that she stopped visiting at all for those two years of her life," Amy replied sensibly as the girls collectively rolled their eyes.

"For all we know, Meatball Head, Reenie keeps visiting us as she ages from five to seven within the next couple of years," Rae cut in as she lightly smacked Serena in the head with Lita'a rolled up magazine, instantly starting a tongue war as Lita jumped for magazine.

Rolling her eyes at the girls' antics, Luna waited patiently for the three to settle down so that the meeting could continue. "Now," she started, regaining control once again, "I agree with Amy and Raye that while we should all be alert, Reenie's visit shouldn't be cause for alarm. But.." she trailed off as her eyes narrowed on Serena, "we all need to be especially careful not to say a word of Reenie's previous visits to her--she can't even know that she visited us beside her first..."

Sighing, Mina rolled her eyes as she slowly stood up and stretched, feeling lazier than ever. "Yeah, yeah.. we get the picture," she interrupted quickly as she scooped up her purse and smiled her most charming smile. "Now I vote that this meeting be adjourned!"

"But we haven't even discussed..." Luna started.

"There's nothing to discuss! There hasn't been any trouble in months!" Mina interrupted brightly.

"Which makes me nervous..." Raye began as she slowly brushed her long raven locks from her sweaty face.

Sighing, Lita slowly stood beside her blond friend. "I hate to say it, but Mina's got a point. Why sit here and sweat and discuss the lack of activity when we could be doing other stuff..."

"Like shopping in an air-conditioned mall!" Mina interrupted impatiently as she tugged on Lita'a hand. "Do any of you want to go shopping with Lita and I?"

"I want to do a fire reading about the lack of activity," Raye quickly responded, glaring at anyone who dared to even snicker at her excuse.

"And I have to begin studying for next year's courses," Amy replied as she slowly began gathering the large pile of textbooks that she had brought.

Smiling at Amy, Lita quickly turned to their unnaturally quiet friend who was absently getting to her feet. "How about it, Serena? Do you and Reenie want to go shopping?" she asked as the shorter girl shook her head and focused on the question.

"Hmm.. what? Um, no thanks," Serena quickly mumbled as she dusted off her white shorts. "I think that I'm going to take Reenie to the park.. Darien's supposed to meet me there in awhile," she murmured absently as she slipped past her friends and disappeared into the temple.

Shrugging her shoulders, Mina slowly watched her friend go. "What's wrong with Serena? It's not like her to pass up on shopping," she murmured as a puzzled frown tugged at her features.

"Especially when it's for some quality time with Reenie," Lita added as she turned back to her circle of friends.

Sighing, Luna slowly dropped her head as she stared down at her paws. "The last time that Reenie left really hit Serena hard... I think that because of that she finally has learned the importance of each moment with her..."

"It's not like she's not going to see her daughter every day in Crystal Tokyo," Raye broke in, an exasperated scowl on her face.

"Serena's finally growing up," Amy spoke up, a small smile on her face as she too left the room. "I will be at the library if anyone needs me!" she called over her shoulder as she disappeared around the corner.

Shrugging their shoulders, Mina and Lita quickly nodded at each other before turning back to the others. "We'll be at the mall!" they chorused before darting from the room.

Sighing, Raye and Luna quickly dropped their heads. "Idiots, all of them," Raye muttered as she scooped Luna into her arms.

"Fire reading?"

"What else?" Raye muttered as they left her silent and empty room behind, a testament to yet another whirlwind Scout meeting.

* * *

Smiling softly, Serena watched in amusement as Reenie skipped along the sidewalk, singing softly to herself as the golden sunshine glinted off of her pink hair. She was such a happy and adorable child that it made her wonder how she had missed it before. "Reenie," she said softly as she finally made her presence known, stepping out from behind a large cherry tree and into the hot sunshine.

"Hi Serena!" Reenie called out brightly as she fixed the older girl with a bright smile. "Is the scout meeting finished already?"

"Yep! But where's Artemis?" Serena asked as she searched the path for the small white cat.

"He went looking for Luna... I think that he has a crush on her," Reenie whispered conspiratorially as she skipped closer, her large red eyes twinkling mischievously.

"I think that you might be right!" Serena whispered back as she took the little girl's hand into her own, ignoring Reenie's look of surprise. "But what do you think about spending the afternoon in the park?" she asked as they began down the long temple steps.

"Are you leaving me at the park so you can go shopping or something?" Reenie asked suspiciously as she stared up at the older girl.

Laughing, Serena quickly shook her head. "Nah, I told Lita and Mina to go on without me. It'll just be you and I... and Darien when he gets off of work," Serena amended with a small smile.

Shocked, Reenie quickly stared up into Serena's confused eyes, hurried pedestrians pushing rudely past. "You mean you actually **WANT** to spend the day with me? And are actually going to share Darien?!" she squeaked in disbelief.

Smiling, Serena merely began dragging the little girl, reveling in the sticky warmth of the sun. ~Was I really that bad to her that she would think that I'd do such a mean thing?~ she asked herself as people blurred by. Without even really having to think about it, Serena knew the answer to her question. Sighing, she bit her lip as she led the little girl into the shade that a large oak tree afforded, the park filled with small children. "I really did treat you horribly, didn't I?" she finally murmured, causing Reenie to glance up in surprise. This new Serena seemed to cause her to do that quite often lately.

Smiling at the opening that she had been given, Reenie was about to lay into the older girl when she noticed the genuine look of sadness that was evident. Surprised, she glanced up and saw that her large blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears, looking so much like her mommy. Gulping, Reenie's sharp retort was quickly forgotten as she snuggled into the familiar embrace. "I was pretty bad too and deserved it."

Sniffling, Serena quickly fought her tears as she pulled the small girl tight in a hug. "I'm so very lucky that I'm going to have you as a daughter," Serena murmured as a single crystalline tear fell onto the child's pink hair.

"I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, Reenie," Serena whispered back even as she realized that the older Reenie never called her 'mommy' as the older girl's words whispered through her mind. _I love you so much Serena... just like my mother... I have always wished that things could have been different and that you could have been her...>_

Suddenly, all thoughts of the past and future were ripped away as screams tore through the peaceful park. Gasping, Serena quickly jumped to her feet even as she was scanning the sunny grounds.

"Serena, the playground!" Reenie quickly yelled as she tugged urgently on Serena's arm.

Turning quickly towards the sandy playground, Serena felt anger burn through her veins. Turning, she was about to tell Reenie to transform when she realized that at this point, the girl was still too young and didn't know that she could become Sailor Crescent Moon. "Call the others," she sighed as she passed her communicator to the little girl, knowing that it was the only thing to be done, even though she hated doing it.

"But I thought that Artemis said that you had defeated all of your enemies months ago!" Reenie squeaked as she hid behind the tree, amazed that Serena hadn't joined her in hiding yet. Serena was many things, but brave wasn't usually one of them.

"We did--looks like we have a new enemy," Serena sighed, hating those words as she saw her carefree summer disappear before her very eyes. "Call the others," she repeated as she took out her locket. "Moon cosmic power!" she shouted as she was bathed in light warmth and power. A moment later, Sailor Moon stood in Serena's place, her spiral heart moon wand in hand as she stepped from behind the safety of the tree and approached the chaotic scene.

A single man floated high above the playground, the gleaming jungle gym sitting beneath him and a grim smile on his face. He appeared to be in his thirties with a shock of starch white hair that was cut close in a soft spike with steel gray eyes sitting beneath. The strangest thing about him that struck her in place, though, besides the stiff white uniform that bore the crescent mark of the moon, was the strange sensation that Sailor Moon felt as though she should know this man--that his hard eyes should be twinkling with warmth.

Suddenly, the cry of another child broke her from her reverie. The stranger appeared to be drawing energy from the children and adults that littered across the equipment and soft sand much in the same way that Beryl and her minions had. All of this was taken in, in just a few seconds as she felt her righteous anger burn her fear away.

"Hey, you!" she called out, gaining the man's attention. "How dare you disrupt the joy and fun of these children!..."

"You bear the mark of the shattered moon," the man interrupted, throwing the young woman off. "Who are you?"

"Er..." Sailor Moon stuttered, never before having an enemy interrupt her well-used speech. "I.. I am Sailor Moon, the Champion of Justice, and on behalf of the Moon, I will right all wrongs and triumph over evil and that means you!" she cried out as she pointed her finger at the strange man.

Sighing, the man slowly shook his head, a scowl appearing on his face. "There is no moon and there has never been a sailor senshi of her beauty!" he growled quickly as some of the energy that he had gathered flew forth in a deadly wave of white energy.

Gasping, Sailor Moon quickly dove to the side, landing roughly in a pile of the sand that could no longer be described as soft. Groaning, she slowly picked herself off of the ground, spitting sand out of her mouth. "That speech was supposed to be intimidating!" she grumbled as she glared at the man. She knew that while standing alone, she would have no time to use her wand in order to vanquish the nega-creep, an act that required a distraction while she powered up, which left her with only one option: "Moon tiara magic!" she called out, using her weakest attack as she threw the golden weapon discus style.

Smiling wryly, the man slowly shook his head. "You expect to defeat me with such parlor tricks?" he asked as he knocked the tiara effortlessly away. "Even little Princess Serenity had more power in a single finger while untrained!" he laughed.

So surprised by his words, Sailor Moon didn't even see the next attack coming as strong arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her to safety. "Watch yourself, Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Mask warned as he gently placed the stunned scout on her feet.

Shrugging past his protective arms, Sailor Moon quickly strode forward and glared at the strange man. "What do you know of Princess Serenity and the moon?" she called out, surprising Tux with her words.

"That the Moon's glory shall rise again!" he bit back as he drew on the gathered energy again, releasing a massive bolt at the couple.

"Mars celestial fire surround!"

"Venus love chain encircle!"

Surprised, the man quickly watched as the two blasts caused his attack to disintegrate harmlessly before his enemies. "The Sailor Senshi... they live," the man whispered hoarsely as Sailor Mercury and Jupiter appeared beside Mars and Venus before his intended targets. Closing his eyes, the man quickly shook his head as he disappeared in a flash of light, his thoughts in a whirl around him.

As soon as the man was gone the scouts quickly whirled on the couple. "Are you guys okay?" they chorused as everyone detransformed and began heading away from the chaotic playground.

"We're fine, but are **they** okay?" Serena asked as she nodded at the unconscious children and adults that were strewn throughout the sandy area, a group of wary onlookers slowly drawing closer to the fallen victims.

Typing away at her mini-computer, Amy nodded curtly before glancing at the group. "They all experienced a massive energy drain but should be alright with some rest," she explained, her eyes suddenly scanning the group of friends. "Serena, where's Reenie?"

"Reenie?" Darien asked in surprise as Serena smiled brightly and squeezed his hand.

"Right here!" a small voice called out breathlessly as a small pink head appeared between Lita and Mina.

"Reenie?!" Darien cried out in surprise as he quickly dropped to one knee, enveloping the little girl in a big hug.

"Daddy!" Reenie cried out in delight, causing everyone to blink in surprise.

"Look who decided to drop in for her **second** visit to Tokyo?" Serena asked brightly, a nervous laugh escaping her lips.

Nodding in understanding, Darien quickly stood, lifting the small girl into his arms. "Well, it's good to have you back, Reenie," he nodded as she snuggled against him.

"Yes, we're all glad but we have a problem," Raye interrupted, a glower marring her beautiful features.

"What did we miss?!" two out of breath felines quickly added as they joined the fray.

Sighing, Mina slowly shook her head. "I spoke too soon today.. we have a new enemy."

"What did it look like?" Luna quickly snapped, all attention as Artemis sagged beside her, weary from their long run from the temple. The least the girls could have done was given them a lift.

"He looked human, in his thirties, short spiked white hair, white uniform..." Darien muttered as he counted off the man's features.

"What were his intentions?" Artemis asked, finally having caught his breath as a puzzled frown crossed Luna's furry features.

"He was after energy like Queen Beryl," Amy responded as she waved at the ambulances and police that were just arriving at the playground behind them.

"Darien... what color were his eyes?" Luna asked slowly as the group slowly inched away at what was quickly becoming a crime scene, settling behind the large oak that had been Reenie's hiding spot.

"They were gray," Serena answered quickly as Reenie crawled into her lap, Darien wrapping his arm tightly around her small waist. "But Luna..." she continued hesitantly, "I had the strangest feeling..."

"We don't have time for your **feelings**, Meatball Head," Raye quickly cut in, rolling her eyes dramatically as she brushed a wave of midnight black hair behind her.

"Quiet Raye," Luna cut in sharply, surprising them all. It wasn't often that anyone spoke up against the fiery scout of Mars, even when to defend Serena. "What do you mean, Serena? What feeling?"

"Well.. um... like... like I **knew** him," Serena explained as she thought back to his cold gray eyes. "He was so familiar," she murmured, "like I should be hugging him instead of fighting him..."

"Oh great, now she wants to **HUG** the enemy!" Raye groaned as Mina elbowed her sharply.

"Well... she does have a good point," Lita agree quietly. "Feelings like those can get a girl into trouble during a battle," she pointed out as she smiled apologetically at her blonde friend.

"I think he was wearing a uniform from the moon," Serena whispered quietly as a thick silence fell over the group. "He knew of Princess Serenity.. of me," she whispered in confusion as Darien pulled her closer. "Is it possible that I knew him back on the moon?"

"Lucent... Conrad..." Luna murmured, her eyes downcast, obviously lost in thought.

"Who?" Serena asked, turning her large blue eyes to her guardian.

"But he's dead," Artemis quickly protested as he rubbed his white flank against her black.

"Who's dead?" Mina asked in confusion as she slowly sat straighter, her eyes glimmering with curiosity.

"Impossible as it is, your description sounds remarkably like Lucent, one of Queen Serenity's advisor's from the moon," Luna explained as she slowly sat back on her haunches and tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Some called him Conrad, meaning 'bold counsel,' for his advice always consisted of taking the most direct and straight forward route to a solution," Artemis added.

"Overall, he was very loyal to the moon and close to the royal family," Luna finished as the girls struggled to remember the man.

Sighing, Serena slowly shook her head. Try as she may, her memories of the moon lay scattered and no image of the friend of the family came to mind. "I used my tiara to try and distract him until someone else got there," Serena explained softly as a small smile lifted her lips. "He said that even untrained Princess Serenity had more power in her little finger," she giggled as the other girls tried to remain serious.

Nodding her head, Luna turned to the blonde. "Lucent was always a strong supporter of the idea that you should be trained in your powers, but your mother was adamant that you should never have to fight--you were never supposed to become Sailor Moon or have access to the Imperium Silver Crystal," she explained.

"But maybe if I had then the moon wouldn't have been destroyed..." Serena murmured sadly as Darien tightened his grip on her.

"With the Queen and Princess of the moon combining their powers and fueling the crystal together, then yes, there would have been enough power and the moon would have been saved," Amy murmured as she began doing calculations on her mini-computer, "but you would have died," she finished with a sad smile as she turned to Serena. "The Queen and Princess giving everything to fuel the crystal would always result in the princess's death before that of the queen's."

"Oh.. never mind," Serena mumbled as her face tightened in confusion.

"But none of this matters," Artemis broke in impatiently as he stood up and began pacing back and forth inside the small circle. "That man couldn't have been Lucent because Lucent is dead!"

"But how do you know that, Artemis?" Mina asked as she reached forward and drew the white cat into her arms, petting his fur affectionately.

"We all died on the moon and were reborn... maybe Lucent was as well?" Lita added as she thoughtfully began chewing on a long blade of green grass.

"But Lucent died **before** the attack on the moon," Artemis purred as Mina started scratching him right behind his ears--one of the downfalls for having a cat as an advisor.

"What happened?" Raye asked softly, quiet up until this point. The moment that Serena had spoken her feelings aloud, the scout of Mars had been trying to sort through her own feelings, desperately trying to remember if she had sensed any evil from the man. If he was Lucent from the moon, then he was an ally... but why would an ally be draining energy from small children and their guardians?

Sighing, Luna slowly shook her head. "About a week before Beryl's attack on the moon, Lucent and a few others were sent to the Earth on a mission of peace... only one person returned saying that the rest had been destroyed by Queen Beryl--including Lucent."

"So... then it couldn't be him, right?" Serena asked hopefully, not wanting to have to fight against someone that should be a friend--not really wanting to fight at all. ~I wish that Mother's wish could have come true.. that I'd never have to fight.~ she thought to herself as she glanced down at the small angel that sat in her lap. ~But for you Reenie, I'd fight any monster.. or any friend.~

"I don't know Serena," Luna answered truthfully as she glanced back at the playground, watching as an ambulance slowly pulled away, its siren wailing. "But when he shows next, and I'm sure that this new person will, I want you all to just work on preventing him from harming anyone else while Artemis and I get a good look at him.. just to see," she murmured thoughtfully as another vacant look entered her eyes. "Raye, I want you to try and get a reading on him as well.. see if you can sense any negative vibes from him," she added as she turned to meet the eyes of all gathered. "But from now on, we must all be on our guard... we have a new enemy."

* * *

With a flash of light he appeared in his frozen wasteland, his home of sorts as he contemplated the new developments. While there had never been in the history of the moon a sailor senshi representing her, the other senshi he had instantly recognized. Somehow the princess's court and the guardians of the moon had survived Beryl's apocalypse. He would have help in his mission.. he was not alone.

* * *

Sighing, Serena watched as Reenie played happily in the abandoned playground, the sun setting before her and painting the sky with its glorious hues of red, oranges, and purples as a warm wind tousled her twin tails of gold. Suddenly, a pair of warm, strong hands wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her back against a hard and familiar body. Smiling, Serena leaned back and relaxed against his hard planes as her expression turned dreamy. "I wish that I was a painter like Monet or Michelangelo," she whispered wistfully as she hugged his arms around her.

"Why do you wish this, Meatball Head?" Darien asked softly, his soft lips brushing against her ears as he bent down, pulling her back tighter against him as he used her nickname lovingly.

"So that I can capture sunsets as beautiful as these on paper so that I can look at them all day long," Serena whispered as she gently nestled her cheek against his, both staring out into the beautiful sunset. Things had come so far between them; all doubts had melted away, allowing their pure love to shine through... a love that would last an eternity.

"Ever thought of a polaroid?" Darien joked as Serena elbowed him sharply and turned in his arms until she was staring up into his loving steel-blue eyes.

"Very funny," Serena laughed as Darien quickly ducked lower and pressed his soft lips to hers, catching her by surprise.

Pulling back, Darien stared into her large blue eyes, feeling as though he were drowning in those endless pools of love... how he loved her.. all the way from her long legs, slim figure, kissable lips, impish nose, to her caring heart. "I love you, Serena Tsukino... my meatball head," he murmured, his eyes never leaving hers.

"And I you, Darien Chiba... my muffin," she responded as she lazily wrapped her slender arms around his neck.

"No matter what happens here our love will never change," Darien vowed as he watched Reenie playing behind his love. "And Reenie will be born from that love."

_I love you so much Serena... just like my mother... I have always wished that things could have been different and that you could have been her..._ Blinking her eyes slowly, Serena slowly shook the words away. "Darien, promise me something?" she whispered, her eyes bright as she gently clasped his hands tightly in her own and brought them to her chest, close to her heart.

"Anything," Darien replied solemnly, the world forgotten as the sun began to make its final descent.

"Promise me that our love is eternal and that should we become separated that you'll find me again," Serena whispered urgently as she pleaded with him with her eyes.

Growing baffled at a seriousness that was so uncommon for his love, Darien slowly nodded his head. Serena had a heart and mind that he would never figure out. "Didn't I before?" he joked, smiling down into her serious face.

Shaking her head, Serena refused to be bought by his familiar charms. "Darien, promise me!" she pleaded, squeezing his hands earnestly.

"I promise that I'll never stop looking for you," Darien vowed, disconcerted by her seriousness.

"Thank you," she whispered as a wave of relief swept through her body. "Care to seal that solemn promise with a kiss?" she suddenly threw in, grinning impishly at him as her normal exuberance instantly returned.

"Always," Darien returned quickly as a grin lit up his handsome face.

Needing no further encouragement Serena quickly threw herself up on tiptoes and wrapped her arms tightly around Darien's neck, pressing her lips tightly against his as the fiery sun finally disappeared from sight, allowing the moon to shine brightly in all her glory.

"Hey, are you two going to kiss all night or are you going to come play with me?" a child's voice called out, causing the two to break apart as a warm blush stained their cheeks.

"Little spore," Serena grumbled good-naturedly as Darien took her small hand in his.

"Coming Reenie!" Darien called out as he began pulling his girlfriend behind him towards the playground.

"Ooh, **swings**!!" Serena suddenly squealed as her eyes caught a hold of the shiny metal. "Oh Darien, can you push me on the swings?!" she pleaded as she dragged him over to the set.

"First he's gotta push me!" Reenie protested as she plopped beside the older girl.

Groaning, Darien slapped his hand dramatically against his forehead as a full out yelling match erupted between the two. Sighing, he quickly shook his head as he settled on the now vacant swing. "Yep, Reenie's back!" he laughed as he began to pump his feet until he was soaring high above the playground, the two girls chasing each other in a mad circle around him as the moon shone gently down, caressing her children with her bright light.

**THE END... for now**

**Please send all comments/criticisms to [Lisette_1@lycos.com.][1] I'd always love to hear what you thought of the fic! Thanks everyone for taking the time to read!**

   [1]: mailto:Lisette_1@lycos.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/index.html



	2. Remembrance

**"Eternal Serenity: Remembrance"**   
by Lisette   
Please send all comments/criticisms to: [Lisette_1@lycos.com][1]

Disclaimers: The characters within all belong to Naoko Takeuchi, DIC, Toei Animation and whoever else has rights to them. I own nothing but the story idea found within.

Author's Babble: This is my third fic for the SM universe, the second part of the "Eternal Serenity" series, and if interested, please feel free to check out any of my other fics at [http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/][2]. Also, any comments/criticisms would be greatly appreciated at the e-mail address listed above.

Rated: PG-13

* * *

**"Eternal Serenity: Remembrance"**

Sighing at the beautiful sight, Serena slowly lifted one hand and reached out, as though she could touch the fiery orb that was slowly rising over the horizon. Smiling, she turned away from the beautiful sunrise and smiled lovingly down at the little girl and black cat that snored quietly beside her on her small bed. "It's so beautiful," she murmured as she slowly turned back to her open window and admired how the light ate away the darkness. She couldn't even remember the last time that she had been up this early to catch a sunrise.

This morning she had no real choice in the matter. Her sleep had been troubled at best, her thoughts whirling so madly around her that letting them all go had been difficult. Reenie was back in her life again and with her appearance brought a multitude of feelings that she couldn't quite decipher. The girl was younger once again and unable to transform, meaning that she was as defenseless as ever... but not quite. When they had fought against the Wise Man Reenie, through an act of desperation, had learned how to access the deep well of power that marked her as a descendant of the moon--a very dangerous piece of knowledge.

Later, after hearing what had happened, Luna had told Serena that her future self, Neo-Queen Serenity, had been able to join with Serena because of the crystallized state that she had been in--an act that had saved both Serena and Reenie's lives. Even though Neo-Queen Serenity had really been running the show, Serena had been a part of it all. She had felt her future self's desire to protect Reenie and had helped her to limit Reenie so that the young princess had only given what the crystal had to give and had never tapped into her own power. By herself, Serena knew that she never would have been able to protect her future daughter... and according to Amy that would have meant Reenie's death.

_I love you so much Serena... just like my mother... I have always wished that things could have been different and that you could have been her..._

Blinking back tears, Serena quickly started from her thoughts and looked out into the bright sunshine that draped the quiet morning. Shaking her head, she quickly turned away and smiled down at the sleeping little girl. "I'll never let anything happen to you. I promise," Serena vowed as she slid under her light covers once more, wary of the summer heat as she wrapped her arms loosely around the small form. "I'll protect everyone," she murmured as sleep claimed her once again, bringing dreams of a close family friend that she couldn't quite remember.

* * *

Tokyo Park

"Are you **SURE** that Luna is okay with you missing the scout meeting today?" Darien asked once again as they lazily strolled through the quiet park, hand in hand with Reenie skipping in between them.

"Of **COURSE** I'm sure," Serena quickly responded--a little **TOO** quickly. "If I would have told her that I was spending the afternoon with you and Reenie instead of going to the meeting then I'm sure that she would have been okay with it," she amended under her breath as she flashed her boyfriend a brilliant smile.

Shrugging his shoulders, Darien gently swung his hand with Serena, sending Reenie flying into the air before swinging back between them. "It's just that it's so unlike her to let you out of a scout meeting..."

"Yeah, usually she's always trying so hard to get you to show up at the meetings," Reenie added as she was swung out again, causing her to squeal in delight.

"Hey, we're all having a great time, aren't we?" Serena grumbled, unable to keep the frown on her face for too long. "Just like a real family," she murmured wistfully as a large smile played across her delicate features. Laughing softly, Serena watched as the bright sun sparkled down upon Reenie's pink hair, her small smile a permanent fixture on her little face. Turning, she then watched as Darien darted forward, tickling the little girl as his eyes sparkled with love and happiness, his hands arms easily capturing Reenie in his arms. ~My family~ Serena thought to herself as she stopped and watched the two in amusement. ~This is my family~

"Hey Serena!" Reenie suddenly cried as she darted forward and grabbed the older girl's hand, staring up into her bright blue eyes eagerly. "Darien said that he'd buy us some ice cream! What kind do you want?" she asked eagerly as she drew Serena over to a crowded ice cream stand, people standing all around as Darien waited patiently.

"Oooh, ice cream!!" Serena squealed as her mouth instantly began to water.

But before anything more could be said, a loud and booming voice broke through the cheerful voices. "Your energy is being gathered for the good of the moon--my apologies."

Startled, Serena, Darien, and Reenie quickly turned and looked up in shock, seeing the same man in a white uniform and white, spiked hair. With wide eyes, Serena watched as the man raised a hand and began to drain everyone's energy. Crying out, she knew that there was no time to transform and instead lifted her communicator to her lips, pushing the 'all call' button even as she slipped to her knees. "Tokyo park," she whispered as the device slipped from her fingers and cracked against the hard pavement, her body quickly following as she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Gasping at the wave of powerful energy, the man found his senses reeling as he staggered under the shock. The crowd of humans that he was draining couldn't have consisted of more than twenty or thirty men, women, and children, yet the energy that he was receiving was so powerful that it felt as though he was receiving energy from all of Tokyo and New York City combined.

As his nerve endings tingled under the rush, he felt that much closer to achieving his dreams. But then his concentration was shattered as a familiar voice rang through the park.. finally.

"Jupiter oak evolution!" Sailor Jupiter called out, her aim exact as the green energy cut close to his hands, instantly stopping the attack. As the rest of the scouts gathered around her, Jupiter watched as the man gently landed on the ground, standing between them and his victims.

"He's formed a shield between us and him," Sailor Mercury muttered as she typed away at her mini-computer, using her visor to scan the distance between them.

"Correct as always, Princess Mercury," the man said quietly as a large smile appeared on his face, his words causing Sailor Mercury to look up in surprise. "Princess Mercury, Princess Mars, Princess Jupiter, Princess Venus," he called out, barely able to contain his joy. "I can't even begin to describe how happy I am that you four survived the apocalypse..." he trailed off as he began walking forward.

"Hold it right there!" Sailor Venus called out, confusion and indecision clouding her bright blue eyes even as golden energy danced on her fingertips.

"But.." he began in hurt confusion as another familiar voice interrupted him.

"Lucent!" Luna cried out in amazement, easily recognizing the man as she scampered beside her scouts.

"Luna! Artemis! You're both alive!" Lucent cried out in amazement, forgetting Venus's words as he took another step forward.

"Stop where you are!" Sailor Mars quickly ordered even as she probed at the man with her senses. The man, Lucent, radiated a deep sadness in overwhelming waves. Over that seemed to lie a thick blanket of shame and guilt that was covered in turn by a bright happiness... yet no evil. The man wasn't evil yet he had done an evil thing... and **WHERE WAS THE MEATBALL HEAD THAT HAD DITCHED THE MEETING AND CALLED THEM THERE?!? **But in an instant Sailor Mars forgot her anger as Lucent shifted to the side, revealing the answer to her question in a wave of horrid light.

Stunned by the heated cry of Sailor Mars, Lucent stared at her in confusion and watched as the young woman's eyes slid past him and then widened in horror. "Now what?" Lucent murmured in disgust as he quickly turned, knowing that his back would be protected by his shield. Instantly, his dark eyes lit upon a sobbing child with pink hair that slowly crawled out from beneath one of his victims, a tall young man with black hair. Sighing, he felt his guilt nearly double as he realized that the young man had obviously thrown himself on top of the little girl in a desperate attempt to shield her.. an attempt that had paid off. And now the terrified child knelt between the dark-haired man and a slender young woman with two tails of long blonde hair, the two obviously meaning a great deal to her. "I'm so sorry," Lucent whispered even as the blonde's eyes began to miraculously flutter open.

"Reenie?" Serena whispered as she forced her eyes to open, awakened by the little girl's crying. Instantly everything came rushing back to her as she saw Darien unconscious beside her, Reenie by their sides. Remembering her promise from early that morning, Serena slowly stumbled weakly to her feet, standing between the enemy and those that she loved. "I won't let anything happen to you," she vowed through gritted teeth, her eyes narrowed against her weakness.

Shaking his head against the foolishly brave human, Lucent raised his hand, almost against his will, and pointed it at the young woman, all the while wondering how she had the foolish strength to stand against him. And then, as he began to draw energy from the blonde four things seemed to happen at once:

Instantly Lucent staggered under the immense wave of power that he drained from the young woman, finally understanding that she was the source of the great power as he stopped in confusion. This couldn't be any ordinary human...

Yet even as he did this the other sailor senshi and their guardians' voices rang out from behind him. "**SERENA!!**" they all cried out before calling out their attacks:

"Mars flame sniper!"   
"Venus love chain encircle!"   
"Jupiter oak evolution!"   
"Mercury aqua rhapsody shine!"

And even as their combined attack was absorbed harmlessly by the shield, Reenie sobbed over Darien's still body. "Mommy"! she wailed as she watched as Serena slowly dropped to her knees once again, falling forward until her weak arms supported her weight, her twin plumes of hair hanging beside her downcast head.

As a bright flash of light consumed her tiny form, Serena felt the doors to her memories come crashing open, drowning her in the distant past...

* * * * *

_"Mother?" the little Princess Serenity asked as she crawled onto the queen's lap, careful of her pretty dress._

_ "Yes, Serena?" Queen Serenity asked, brushing a stray purple strand of hair from her face as she hugged her small daughter to her._

_ "Why do you call Lucent, Alden?" she asked as she slowly played with some of her blonde hair._

_ Smiling, Queen Serenity laughed at her beloved daughter's curious expression. "Always the same, Serena, curious as a kitten!" she laughed. Shaking her head, she quickly pondered the little princess's question. "Alden means 'old friend,' which is what he is to our family," she explained, her voice gentle._

_ Grinning up at her mother, Princess Serenity quickly nodded her head. "Then I shall call him Alden as well!" she declared with a bright smile as she impulsively gave her mother a light kiss._

_ "Call who Alden?" a loud male voice called out from behind her._

_ Laughing, Princess Serenity quickly clapped her hands in delight as she jumped from her mother's lap and scurried across the large room, throwing herself into a tall man's waiting arms. "Alden!" she cried out as she wrapped her small arms around his neck, giggling as he ducked his head and brushed her cheek against his spiked white hair._

_ "My little princess," Alden responded in turn, his stormy gray eyes sparkling with the love that he held for the little girl that he loved like a daughter._

* * * * *

_"Alden, why must you go?" Princess Serenity whispered sadly as she held her love, Prince Endymion's hand tightly in her own._

_ "Because your mother and I want peace between this Queen Beryl and the moon," Alden responded patiently as he opened his arms to the young woman._

_ Holding back her tears, the princess quickly hurried forward and buried herself in the advisor's embrace. Even though her mother and the others tried to shelter her, she knew that a trip to Earth, Endymion's planet, was a dangerous undertaking.... especially for someone from the moon. "Please be careful," she whispered sadly through her tears._

_ Smiling gently, Alden hugged her tighter in response before pushing her gently back to the prince, the young man quickly taking her into his strong arms. The two made a good match and he knew that his little princess, so grown up now, would be safe with him. "I will... and I'll even try to make it back in time for your ball next week!" he promised. "Queen Serenity, Luna, Artemis, girls, Prince Endymion.. my little princess," he called out, acknowledging those who had come to see him off, "until we meet again..."_

_* * * * *_

As the tears slowly dripped down her pale face, Serena weakly lifted her head and met Lucent's gray eyes. "Alden?" she whispered, the name coming out more as a choked sob, her eyes bright with hope.

Gasping at the familiar voice that he hadn't recognized before and at the use of a name that he hadn't been called in a long, long time, Alden slowly moved forward until he was standing stiffly before the young woman. Not quite believing it, he gently reached forward and touched the girl in the center of her smooth, unmarked forehead.

Instantly the veil that prevented people from recognizing Serena from her other identities lifted as her moon sigil glowed brightly in the place his finger had touched, her form shifting until she was kneeling as Princess Serenity in her royal gown, only a few years older than he remembered as her golden hair swirled around her in their twin tales that marked her as the royalty of the moon.

As hot tears stung Alden's eyes, he quickly dropped to his knees and crushed the young woman to him. "My little princess," he murmured as they both disappeared in a flash of light.

"**SERENA!!**" the scouts screamed as they ran forward, no longer restrained by the shield.

"**MOMMY!!!**" Reenie wailed as a moonbeam erupted from her glowing crescent mark.

"Everyone calm down!" Luna quickly called out as she joined the scouts in the place that Serena and Lucent had just occupied.

"Venus, take care of Reenie," Artemis added as he moved beside Luna, indicating the crying child. "And Mercury, check on Darien and the others."

"What about Serena?" Sailor Mars asked quickly, her eyes flashing in anger.

"Old friend or not, if he touches one hair on her head..." Jupiter threatened, pounding her fist for emphasis.

"Everyone calm down and don't worry," Luna ordered again as she slowly paced through the fallen victims. "The princess will be alright."

Starting at Luna's words, Sailor Venus angrily shook her head as she lifted Reenie into her arms. "**Serena**," she began, emphasizing their friend's name, "is gone! How do you know that she's gonna be alright?!"

Sighing, Luna quickly dropped her head under the scouts' collective glare. "Because Lucent loves Princess Serenity like a daughter and she as a father..."

"**WHAT?!**" was the Scouts' collective response.

"Luna, don't you think you could have told us this earlier--like before he disappeared with Serena!!" Venus cried out as she tried to calm the little girl down.

"I mean, 'loyal to the moon and close to the royal family' don't really mean the same thing as a surrogate father!" Mars hissed as she glared at the cat.

Sighing, Luna merely shook her head as she turned to Sailor Mercury. "How are Darien and the others?" she asked as Artemis rubbed against her flank.

"From what I can tell, because of Darien's link to the Earth as Prince of the Earth, he should be fully recovered within two hours..." Mercury trailed off as she slowly stood.

"And the others?" Sailor Jupiter asked quietly as she nodded at the fallen victims.

"Two-three days," Mercury murmured as sirens could be heard in the distance.

By unspoken agreement the scouts quickly got moving. Sailor Venus, with Reenie held firmly in hand, quickly took to the trees and rooftops, headed back towards Raye's temple. Following her lead, Sailor Mercury quickly scooped up Artemis and Luna as Sailor Mars and Jupiter took Darien under each arm and jumped to safety just as the first police cruiser arrived.

* * *

As the light slowly faded away, Alden climbed to his feet, helping Princess Serenity up as her eyes roamed their surroundings. "What are we doing here?" she asked, her voice shaky as she stepped closer to the man that had disappeared from her life so long ago.

"This is where I've been staying for the last few months," Alden replied as he wrapped a reassuring arm around the young woman's pale shoulders.

"But this was Beryl's base in the arctic," Serenity whispered as a wave of horrid memories assaulted her mind as tears came to her eyes. She would never forget this cavernous pit for as long as she lived... it was the place where her Prince Endymion, her Darien, had died saving her.

"How did you know that? Your mother would have never..." he trailed off as he turned the princess until he was staring into the familiar blue eyes that were filled with a deep and abiding sadness and wisdom that Queen Serenity had worked so hard to shelter her from.

As if reading his mind, Serenity smiled sadly at him as she gently squeezed his hand. "It's been a long, long time since I've lived the sheltered life that my mother wanted for me," she whispered as she reached up to touch her crystal, detransforming in a flash of light. "And call me Serena... it's who I am now," she added with a small smile as he brushed his fingers across her smooth and unmarked forehead.

"But your crescent mark," he murmured, frowning thoughtfully as she quickly reached up and grasped his large hands in her small.

"The people do not need a Moon Princess here... they need Sailor Moon to fight for them," she said, smiling brightly as a look of surprise covered his features.

"You mean you were..." he trailed off as Serena nodded her head happily. Smiling, Alden slowly shook his head in wonder. "A sailor senshi of the moon..." he murmured as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "And the young man from yesterday? In the mask?"

"That was Tuxedo Mask, now called Darien... my Prince Endymion," Serena murmured as her expression turned dreamy.

Chuckling softly, Alden quickly drew the young woman into his arms. "I'm happy to hear that you still have your prince by your side," he murmured as he squeezed her gently. "And I'm so proud of you, my little princess," he murmured, realizing that his hopes of the princess being trained in her powers had been achieved.

"Alden, my name's Serena," she giggled happily, content to be safe in the advisor's arms.

"No Serena, you will always be my little princess," he murmured as she pulled away.

"Not so little anymore," she responded in turn as she spun gracefully before him, an act that wouldn't have been possible three years ago when she was still trying to adjust to her long legs and arms, still prone to her infamous klutz attacks, showing off her short white shorts and soft pink tank top.

Nodding his head, Alden smiled at her proud words. "It does seem that my little princess has done some growing up while I've been away," he admitted, noting her leaner form and proud stance that bespoke of her mother more than ever.

At his words, a small frown flitted across her features. "Alden, what happened to you?" she asked, her voice soft as she once more took his hand in hers. "Mother wouldn't tell me what had happened, but I could tell that something had gone wrong... you weren't back for the ball.. for that night... please tell me the truth," she pleaded, not wanting to be sheltered any longer.

Sighing, Alden was tempted to cushion the truth for her as Queen Serenity always wanted, but one look into her sad blue eyes convinced him that she had already seen and heard far worse to hurt her further. "My consortium and I were admitted attendance to see Queen Beryl, but we were naive to think that she would ever accept our offers of peace..."

"She was pure evil," Serena added, her eyes vacant at remembered memories.

Looking strangely at the young woman, he slowly nodded his head. "Yes, and she destroyed my people before my very eyes," Alden murmured, grief shining in his gray eyes. "And then she told me that her forces would destroy the moon and the other planets in one week's time before encasing me in crystal, imprisoned here in this wasteland..." he trailed off as a look of horror covered Serena's lovely features.

"I'm so sorry, Alden," she whispered, tears dripping down her face at the thought of all those years of dreamless sleep that he had been imprisoned here, that she could have set him free and didn't even know it... she had unknowingly left him here alone... left to sleep in darkness. "How... how did you become free? When?"

"About two months ago a group of humans must have stumbled upon me and shattered my crystal prison," Alden explained, not bothering to add that in the massive release of energy all of the humans had been killed. "But enough about me," he quickly interrupted as he began to pace back and forth. "If you, Prince Endymion, Luna, Artemis, and the sailor senshi all live, then are there others? Did Queen Serenity..."

"No," Serena interrupted sadly, knowing what he was going to ask. "While the rest of the people of the Moon may live here on Earth, Mother died in the battle..."

"What happened? What have I missed?" Alden asked slowly, tears stinging his eyes as his little princess confirmed his fears. Upon reawakening his first thought was of the Moon and all those that he loved that he had left there... and he quickly learned through the humans that there was nothing on the moon--no sign of life... just nothing. He knew then that Beryl had succeeded in her plot and that... and that his Queen and his little princess were dead.

Sighing, Serena closed her eyes as she thought back to her fragmented memories of the past. "A week after you left, on the night of the ball, Queen Beryl and her forces attacked. The scouts and our defenses were nothing compared to her power and we were all killed, the kingdom destroyed, the Silver Millennium ended, and all dead save for my mother, Queen Serenity, Artemis, and Luna. She then used the Imperium Silver Crystal to trap the Negaverse and our spirits within and sent us one thousand years into the future to be reborn."

"You were reborn?" Alden asked, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes, as Serena Tsukino. Luna found me three years ago, our memories of the moon sealed away by my mother..."

"So that's why the senshi acted as they did? They didn't remember me?" Alden asked slowly, their odd behavior finally making sense.

Nodding her head, Serena quickly continued. "She taught me to become Sailor Moon and to fight against Queen Beryl, who had been released with our spirits."

"**You** fought against Queen Beryl?" Alden asked in disbelief.

"As Sailor Moon and with Tuxedo Mask and the sailor scouts we fought," Serena amended with a sad smile. "We won against her in a battle that cost us our lives, but the crystal granted my wish and we lived again. Together we fight to protect this world from evil..." she trailed off as she noticed Alden's strange look. "Alden, what's wrong?"

"Then you have the Imperium Silver Crystal... and you can use it?" he asked quickly, his eyes shining with hope as he quickly squeezed her hands.

"Well... sort of," Serena murmured uncertainly as she looked down. Yes, she had the silver crystal but to use it was a dangerous proposition, something that she did only in the gravest of matters. After all, when fighting as Sailor Moon she used her own vast well of strength, a well that had a sort of built-in safety device that allowed her to give all she could until exhaustion forced her to stop, same as the others. But with the crystal... it overrode that survival instinct. When the crystal had no more to give then it drew upon her until it needed no more or until she was dead. She had a better chance when the scouts gave her their power, but once exhaustion kicked in then she was on her own once again. It was as though there was some genetic defect that allowed the crystal to keep on draining on those in the moon family, a defect that was passed on through the female line--which is why it was so dangerous for Reenie to give her power to her when she was using the crystal. It would just recognize her as one who could use its power and drain on Reenie directly as it did with Serena... and with Reenie being so much smaller... it wouldn't take long for the girl's death.... If only Serena could learn how to limit Reenie's input as Neo-Queen Serenity so obviously had.

"Serena!"

Broken out of her reverie, Serena slowly shook her head and looked up at Alden with pained and confused eyes. "Alden, why were you draining energy from the people?" she asked, trying not to sound as betrayed as she felt. "That was the trick of Beryl...."

"The only good thing that I learned from her..."

"Good?!" Serena gasped in disbelief, shaking her head quickly. "Alden, what you're doing is **wrong**!"

Wincing at her words, Alden slowly nodded his head. "I know Serena, but it's the means to a better end."

"A better end? What better end could possibly justify stealing the energy from a park full of innocent children and their families?" Serena screeched as she stomped her foot for emphasis.

Sighing, Alden slowly shook his head. "The first time was just a test to see if I could do it," he murmured quietly, "and while I didn't recognize you or Prince Endymion, I recognized the sailor senshi..." he trailed off as a look of wonder covered his features. "Although it still amazes me that out of all of the parks in the world to test this on, I'd just happen to pick the park in the city that you are all at!"

Smiling wryly, Serena quickly shook her head. "Yeah, all nega-creeps seem to have that prob-- **oops!!**" she squealed as she quickly slapped her hand against her mouth. "Hehe... no offense," she muttered as she smiled apologetically at her friend.

Laughing, Alden quickly shook his head. "I suppose that I deserved that..."

"You did," Serena added stubbornly, a small glimmer of laughter peeking out from beneath her frown.

Smiling, Alden gently squeezed her small shoulder as he continued. "This second time was the only way that I could think of to get the senshi's attention so that we could talk..."

"But what were you 'practicing' for in the first place?" Serena asked, trying to understand what would make such a good person do such a bad thing.

"Because I know of a way to resurrect the Silver Millennium!" Alden answered proudly, enjoying his little princess's surprise.

"**WHAT?!**" Serena screeched as Alden quickly grabbed her shoulders and bore his steel gray eyes into her blue.

"I found a book in Beryl's little 'library' that gives a spell that is capable of bringing the moon back to life! Of rebuilding our kingdom.... of resurrecting those lost in the battle!!" he hissed, his eyes glittering with the prospect.

"My... my mother?" Serena asked weakly, her eyes filling with tears.

Nodding, Alden quickly crushed Serena to him, holding her in a smothering embrace as she sobbed into his chest. "Yes, my little princess. I can bring your mother back to life, our Queen Serenity."

"But... how?" Serena whispered as she pulled her tear stained face away and searched his eyes earnestly, looking desperately for the catch that she knew must exist.

"I merely speak the incantation aloud and then instigate the gathering of energy from everyone on Earth in one swoop, allowing them to power the spell..."

"But... but that's wrong," Serena murmured as she pulled away, wiping at her tears.

"It's the means to a better end," Alden repeated. "Is anyone really hurt by the energy drains?" he asked.

"Well... they're so weak and have to go to the hospital," Serena murmured, her voice growing uncertain.

"But is anyone really hurt?" Alden asked again, a knowing smile on his lips. "Aren't they all as good as new within a couple of days, their energy returned?" he persisted.

Closing her eyes, Serena nodded weakly as a single tear slid down her pale cheek. "But Alden, it's **wrong** to take their energy!" she protested, her delicate sense of right and wrong unable to cope with the thought.

"Serena," Alden murmured patiently as he stepped forward and forced her chin up until he was staring into her bright blue eyes, "wouldn't it be worth it to have the people of Earth be fatigued for a few days if we could rebuild our kingdom? Think about it... your mother's life for a few days rest for the humans!"

Whimpering, Serena slowly turned her head to the side. "But.. but your body wouldn't be able to handle that much energy!" she weakly protested.

"My death would be a worthy sacrifice for the lives of my people," Alden stated calmly, meeting Serena's wide blue eyes. "For my queen... but don't you see?" he quickly asked, his excitement growing. "My death's not even needed anymore! I can teach you how to draw on everyone's energy and with the crystal's help you'll be able to do this..."

"You want me to use the silver crystal to steal energy?" Serena gasped, aghast at the very thought of it.

"You wouldn't be harmed," Alden quickly assured as the young woman began to slowly shake her head.

"I can't use the silver crystal for that!" she protested as she tried to back away.

Sighing, Alden slowly shook his head. "Serena, I am sending you back to the park now," he murmured as he pulled the young woman close and hugged her tight, knowing that now all she needed was time to herself to sort through what had been said.. and time to talk it over with her friends. "I'll give you one week to think about what I've said. One week from today I will meet you and the others by the lake in the park at sunset," he whispered, his lips by her ear.

"But Alden..."

"Think about it, my little princess," Alden interrupted as the girl began to shimmer. "Two days of fatigue in exchange for your mother's life and your kingdom... it's your decision," he murmured as she disappeared in a flash of light, leaving him alone in the cold caverns once again.

* * *

As the familiar landscape of the park appeared around her, Serena slowly slid to her knees, hot tears pouring down her face. "Don't make me decide this... please don't leave this to me!" Serena sobbed as she curled into a tight little ball, oblivious to the world around her. "Mother..."

* * *

Muttering angrily, Raye continued to pace furiously back and forth in her small room, her eyes darting back and forth between Darien, lying unconscious on her bed, Reenie, petting Artemis from the safety of Mina's lap, and the clock that rested beside the others. "I don't like this. She's been gone for over an hour!" the scout of Mars grumbled, wearing her floor boards thin.

"They do have a lot to catch up on," Luna pointed out as she nervously cleaned her paws, as anxious as the others but trying to hide it.

"Well why does Serena remember Lucent when we don't?" Lita asked, amusing herself by glancing idly through another magazine, not really seeing the glossy pictures or pointless articles.

Sighing, Luna dropped her head in defeat. "For the hundredth time, Lita, I don't know!" she growled. "Why don't you girls pester Artemis with these questions?!"

"Because Artemis never knows what he's talking about!" Mina laughed as she gently swatted the white feline.

"Hey, I resemble that remark!" Artemis growled in response as he smacked the blonde with his tail.

Giggling softly, Amy quickly shook her head. "Artemis, I think that you meant 'resent' not 'resemble'!"

"Oh great!" Reenie groaned dramatically as she lifted a small hand to her forehead, her sadness and worry temporarily forgotten. "Mina's way with words is catching!!"

"Hey, I--"

"Serena!" Darien called out suddenly, surprising them all as he quickly sat up from the bed, his black hair tousled as his dark eyes danced around the room, searching frantically for a face that wasn't there. "Serena needs me!" he cried out as another wave of intense emotions carried through their link, causing him to transform into Tuxedo Mask without thought and dart from the room.

And then, mere moments after he had felt Serena's need, Tuxedo Mask was in the park and crouching beside Serena. "Shh Serena, I'm here," he murmured as he quickly drew his love into his arms, sheltering her from the world as he rocked her back and forth as her sobs slowly stilled until only her soft breathing could be heard.

"She cried herself to sleep?" Sailor Venus asked slowly, meeting Tuxedo Mask's surprised blue eyes.

"You followed me?" Tuxedo Mask asked as he slowly climbed to his feet, Serena cradled in his arms as he saw some of the senshi gathered around him.

"Not that you made it easy for us," Jupiter wheezed as she tried to catch her breath.

"Where's..."

"Mercury and Artemis took Reenie back to Serena's house," Sailor Mars cut in, watching in confusion as Tuxedo Mask slowly began walking away, Serena still held lovingly in his arms. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I'm taking Serena back to my place," Tuxedo Mask called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the hot sunshine. "She needs some place quiet to rest..."

Sighing, Luna slowly dropped her head and stared morosely at the ground. "And her house **isn't** quiet?" she meowed, the closest thing to a grumble that she could manage at the moment.

"Poor Serena," Venus murmured as she scooped the sulking cat into her arms. "She really looked as though she was put through the wringer."

"Yeah, I haven't seen her this bad since Darien broke up with her a couple years back!" Jupiter added as the three scouts began heading back to the temple, feline in hand as they detransformed.

Shaking her head, Raye trailed behind her friends, her dark eyes flashing with a fiery anger. "Not **MY** idea of a father figure," she grumbled quietly as she and the others left the park once again, quiet and empty under the hot afternoon sun.

* * *

Ever so gently, Darien lowered Serena onto his soft couch, her slim frame all but hidden amongst his shadowed apartment. Sighing, he slowly knelt beside her and gently stroked her soft cheek. "Serena, I don't know what happened to you today," he murmured lovingly, "but you're safe now and I'll **never** let anything bad happen to you. I love you."

**The End**

   [1]: mailto:Lisette_1@lycos.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/index.html



	3. Shattered Dreams

**"Eternal Serenity: Shattered Dreams"**   
by Lisette   
Please send all comments/criticisms to: [Lisette_1@lycos.com][1]

Disclaimers: The characters within all belong to Naoko Takeuchi, DIC, Toei Animation and whoever else has rights to them. I own nothing but the story idea found within.

Author's Babble: This is my fourth fic for the SM universe, the third part of the "Eternal Serenity" series, and if interested, please feel free to check out any of my other fics at [http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/][2]. Also, any comments/criticisms would be greatly appreciated at the e-mail address listed above. Also, a **HUGE** thank to you to the [Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon website][3]. One huge segment of this fic could not have been written if it wasn't for their descriptions of the episodes that I don't have access to.

Rated: PG-13

* * *

**"Eternal Serenity: Shattered Dreams"**

As her friends gathered around, Serena knew that it was time to tell them of Alden's plan. Sighing, Serena allowed her eyes to wander around Darien's quiet living room, the dying rays of the bright sun the only illumination in the dark room. They had allowed her to try and sleep it off for a scant two hours before her friends came pounding on Darien's door, Reenie and their feline guardians in tow as they demanded to know what had happened. And now, with Reenie on her lap on the couch with Darien sitting close beside her, they wanted to know what had caused her to become an emotional wreck.

"Well Meatball Head, what happened?" Raye demanded as Mina elbowed her sharply in the side.

"If he hurt you, I'll..."

"No Lita, Alden would never hurt me!" Serena quickly interrupted, tears coming to her eyes.

"Serena, where'd you go?" Reenie asked quietly as she tugged on the older girl's pink shirt.

"We... we went to Beryl's hideout in the North Pole," Serena admitted timidly as Darien's arm tightened automatically around her slim waist, memories of what happened there still too painfully recent.

"**WHAT?!?**" was the general consensus as everyone stared at Serena in shock and horror. Now it was no wonder that their leader had been in the state that she was. They had all died there, Serena witness to it all, and in the end had been forced to face her worst nightmare alone, they in attendance only in spirit.

"Why in the name of the Moon would Lucent take you there? What happened to him?" Luna screeched as she quickly rubbed against her ward's leg, angry with Lucent for his insensitivity even as she realized that the man wouldn't know of what happened there.

Sighing irritably, Serena quickly waved away their concern. "Beryl imprisoned him in a crystal casing... he only got out a couple months ago," Serena said stubbornly in his defense.

Annoyed, Raye quickly crossed her arms over her chest. "Well if Lucent is such a great guy then why were you bawling and he stealing energy?" she bit out harshly, taking out her anger in her usual way. Instantly, though, she regretted her words as tears came to Serena's eyes once again.

"Alden found a spell in Beryl's things..." Serena began as she slowly outlined Alden's plan, keeping her voice noncommittal and her words unbiased. Right away she understood the importance of hearing everyone's own opinion of this, without her influence, as she added everything from Alden's insistence that it would be two days worth of fatigue in exchange for their kingdom and the life of Queen Serenity to her fears of using the silver crystal for that purpose.

When Serena had finished, the group slowly sat back and pondered her words. "Wow, that's heavy," Mina murmured as she absently stroked Artemis' white fur.

Wiping away her tears, Serena quickly nodded her head. "Alden said that we're to meet him in one week at the lake in the park with our decision... what do you guys think?"

Instantly the room fell silent as the group weighed the options. Finally, Raye broke the silence as she shook her head curtly. "No. Absolutely not," she declared, her eyes flashing. "That would be wrong."

"But Raye, it wouldn't hurt them," Mina broke in uncertainly. "I mean... wouldn't it be more wrong of us **not** to do it?"

"Mina's got a point," Lita agreed quietly as she twisted her hands in her lap. "The moon and everyone living there would be back... maybe even our families. We failed them before.. isn't this a chance to make up for that?"

Biting back her tears, Serena quickly nodded her head. Turning, she saw that Darien was silent, lost in thought as Luna and Artemis quietly discussed the idea in a corner. And then there was Amy, quiet up to this point as she obviously debated something. Her blue eyes were filled with sadness and she kept opening her mouth, as if to say something, before quickly shaking her head and returning to her thinking. "What is it, Amy?" Serena asked, her voice gentle as she smiled at her quiet friend.

"A little girl died yesterday in the attack!" Amy quickly blurted out before she changed her mind, grateful for the chance to get it out.

"**WHAT?!?**"

Shaking away her sorrow, Amy focused on the facts that her mother had given her just a short while ago. "The little girl's energy had been drained like the rest, but somehow she stumbled away and collapsed in the middle of a street... she was hit by a car," she murmured as a shocked hush fell over the room.

"No," Raye finally murmured, breaking the silence as she stared into Serena's bright eyes. "While the energy drain itself doesn't hurt people, it's what happens immediately following that does," she stated firmly. "If this is what happened in one little piece of the world, imagine the consequences when the whole world is affected!"

"The pilots of airplanes..." Lita murmured hoarsely as her hand clenched tightly into a fist, thinking of her own parents.

"People driving cars..." Darien added hollowly, his parents occupying his thoughts as well.

"The doctors and their patients," Amy whispered, thinking of the critically injured people around the world who would be left unattended.

"All the families cooking..." Reenie started quietly.

"...and the fires when its left unattended," Serena finished as she hugged the little girl gently.

"All the people shopping..." Mina murmured as she nodded her head slowly.

"**SHOPPING?! MINA!!**" the group cried out in amazement.

"Well, think of all the shopping deals that would be missed while they're out cold," Mina shrugged as the group groaned collectively at her way of thinking. "Hehe... just kidding?" she asked meekly.

Glaring at his ward, Artemis quickly shook his head. "What Mina was trying to say was... sorry gang, but we can't do it," he stated firmly, looking from girl to girl. "Whether it be from anyone driving anything or whatever, millions of people could die."

Sighing, the group slowly nodded their heads in agreement, knowing that it never could be done no matter how badly they wanted it. Shaking her head, Luna slowly lay down on the softly carpeted floor. "But it would have been so nice to have Queen Serenity back," she murmured wistfully, not noticing as Serena turned her head away, hiding her face as hot tears burned in her eyes, the new moon shining softly down upon her.

"Mother..."

* * *

"Even though I would want nothing more than to bring you back to me, Mother, that's why I can't," Serena explained softly as she stared up at the bright moon, tears trailing down her soft cheeks. "I miss you and love you so very much, but we can't sacrifice so many innocent lives... even to save yours..."

It had been six days since Alden had told of his plan, a week since Reenie had reappeared in their lives, and tomorrow was the day--the day that Serena would have to convince Alden that his plan was wrong and seal her mother's fate for eternity. "I'm so sorry, Mother," Serena gasped as the tears poured down her cheeks, blurring her view of the bright moon.

"Serena, what's wrong?"

Gasping, Serena quickly turned around in surprise, scrubbing her tears away as she saw her mom standing in the darkened doorway behind her, her robe tied loosely around her thin frame. "Oh, nothing Mom," she quickly lied as she turned away from her open window and scooted back until she was once more lying beside Reenie.

Shaking her head, Mrs. Tsukino shuffled quietly into her daughter's room and gently sat beside her daughter. "I'm just surprised that your crying hasn't woken your cousin yet.. or your cat," she whispered with a small laugh as she pointed to the black cat that was being strangled in between Reenie's small arms, fast asleep in the clutch of death.

Smiling, Serena quickly shook her head. "I love you, Mom," she whispered as she sat up and hugged the older woman tightly before kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"What was that for?" Ilene asked in surprise as her daughter settled once more on her bed, gently fingering her cheek.

"Sometimes I don't think that kids tell their parents how much they love them quite enough," Serena whispered in reply as her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"But we always know," Ilene replied, a motherly smile on her face as she adjusted her daughter's blankets and reached down, kissing her gently on her smooth forehead. "Now get some sleep," she ordered as she slowly slipped from the room.

"Thank you, Mom," Serena whispered softly, a small tear trailing down her cheek as she snuggled into her blankets, drawing Reenie's small body into her arms. "I love you both..."

* * *

"Serena, come on!" Reenie's voice called out, echoing in the empty house. "The others will be waiting!!"

"Coming Reenie," Serena mumbled absently as she stared at the telephone, deciding what to do. Sunset was coming fast and Serena knew that they needed to get to the park... but she also knew that perhaps something else was needed first. The friends had spent the day trying to relax and **not** think about the fact that millions of lives rested in the balance while Luna and Artemis spend the day at the lake, just waiting around in case anything happened.... and now the time was near. Reenie and Serena had to hurry to the park to meet with the others.. but Serena had a bad feeling.

By spoken agreement the girls had decided not to call in the outer scouts, remembering that at this point Reenie was still unaware of their presence, thinking that their might wouldn't be needed. At the time, Serena had agreed... now she wasn't so sure.

"**SERENA!!!**"

"I'm **COMING!!**" Serena yelled back as she quickly picked up the handset of the phone and dialed a number that she knew by heart.

"Hello?"

"Haruka?" she asked quickly as she made sure that no one was nearby. "It's Serena."

"Hi Ser--"

"I need you, Michiru, and Setsuna to meet me and the scouts at the lake in the park in a few minutes," she quickly interrupted, glancing around nervously.

"Trouble?" the voice asked quickly.

"There might be, but listen, you must come as Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto and cannot use your real names," Serena quickly instructed.

"What? Why not?"

"No time. Reenie's going to be there but don't acknowledge her--act like you don't even know her."

"But..."

"You'll understand when you see her. Bye!" Serena interrupted, slamming down the phone after the last word and bolting from the house. As she ran down the front step she quickly grabbed Reenie's hand and began dragging her behind.

* * *

Panting and out of breath, Serena and Reenie slowly jogged up to their friends, just inside the entrance to the part of the lake that was their destination.

"Cutting it a little short, aren't we Meatball Head?" Raye called out angrily, her hands planted on her hips.

"I... had.. something I... had to do!" Serena gasped as she sagged against Darien, grateful for his strong arms.

"No time for chitchat, girls transform!" Luna ordered as she and Artemis joined the little circle. Nodding, the girls quickly did as ordered as they rose their transformation pens, crystal, and rose into the air, feeling that familiar rush of adrenaline.

"Moon cosmic power!"   
"Mars crystal power!"   
"Mercury crystal power!"   
"Jupiter crystal power!"   
"Venus crystal power!"

As the power cascaded over them and then slowly disappeared, the sailor scouts and Tuxedo Mask stood in their places. Instantly Reenie darted between Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, taking a warm gloved hand in each of hers.

And then the stillness of the park was broken once again as two new scouts jumped down from their perch in the trees. "Sailor Moon, scouts," they acknowledged, the dying sun glinting off of the shiny blonde and blue-green head.

"Sailor Uranus, Neptune," Sailor Moon murmured as she nodded at the older scouts. "Thank you for coming so quickly," she added, aware of the surprised eyes of the Inner Scouts on her.

"We could hardly pass up your intriguing request," Sailor Neptune replied as she brushed a wave of blue-green hair over her shoulder, her eyes coolly sweeping over the small pink-haired girl, undoubtedly Reenie at a younger age.

Nodding, Sailor Moon slowly glanced around the quiet park, long since abandoned by the citizens of Tokyo after the strange attacks that had occurred during the last week and quickly turned back to the outer scouts. "Where's Sailor Pluto?" she asked, her voice growing tight.

"Puu?" Reenie asked in surprise as she squeezed her future parents' gloved hands. "Puu's here?"

Ignoring the child, Sailor Uranus quickly shrugged her shoulders, tossing her short blond hair out of her eyes. "We couldn't find her."

"I see," Sailor Moon said quietly as she pulled away from Reenie and Tuxedo Mask, the cold knot in her stomach slowly tightening. "In that case... Crisis make-up!" she called out as the flash of lights covered her slim form, transforming her instantly into the next stage up: Super Sailor Moon.

Surprised, Luna slowly shook her head as Super Sailor Moon lowered her arms and looked down at her guardian. "Was that really necessary?" Luna asked quietly, her dark eyes filled with worry.

"I sure hope not, Luna," Sailor Moon murmured as a flash of light appeared behind her. Turning quickly, her bright eyes focused on her old friend as a small smile came to her lips.

"Serena, you're in a more powerful form now," he murmured, smiling warmly at the young woman that he loved as his own.

"Yes Alden, I'm known as Super Sailor Moon now," she acknowledged as she moved away from the others and stood before the tall man, her back to her friends.

Nodding, Alden slowly looked away from her bright blue eyes and focused on the others. As if on some cue, the rest had spread out in a straight line a few feet behind Serena... Super Sailor Moon, giving them a respectable distance. Behind her and to her right stood Prince Endymion, now Tuxedo Mask, Luna, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus, and... Sailor Neptune? Blinking his eyes, Alden quickly shook his head. Turning, he saw that a short, pink-haired girl stood behind and to Super Sailor Moon's left, directly to the left of Tuxedo Mask, with Artemis, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mercury, and... Sailor Uranus standing beside her.

Alden   
SM

U Me J A R T L Ma V N

"The outer scouts..."

"Are alive and with us, for the most part," Sailor Moon replied with a small smile as she took Alden's hand in her own.

Sighing, Alden slowly looked up and at the dying light of the sun, anxiously awaiting the moon's rays to appear as a peaceful smile appeared on his face. "Soon... soon the moon will be ours once again and Queen Serenity will be reunited with her daughter," he said, smiling down at the beautiful warrior, mistaking her more powerful form for an acceptance to his plan.

"No she won't," Sailor Moon whispered sadly as tears burned in her eyes. "Queen Serenity, my mother, died long ago and will never come back."

"But... but I told you that together we could bring her back!" Alden protested, hating to see the young woman cry as he drew her close into a fatherly embrace.

"Alden, a little girl died the other day as a direct result of the draining," she whispered, her cheek resting against the soft white material of his uniform. "An innocent little girl..."

"What?" Alden asked in shock as he pulled away, his hands tightly gripping her bare shoulders as his gray eyes frantically searched hers for deceit. But even as he began, Alden knew that her large blue eyes would never lie. "But how is that possible? It should have weakened her, not..."

"Yes, it weakened her enough that she stumbled into a road and was hit by a car," Sailor Moon explained sadly. "Alden, we can't do this to the world! People will fall asleep behind the wheels of their cars... there will be car accidents, plane crashes, drownings, people falling down stairs, people in need of medical attention and left unattended," she cried out, tears burning her eyes. "There will be countless injuries and millions could die!" Serena argued as she pleaded with her eyes. "Alden, I would want nothing more than to have our kingdom back--to have **my mother** back," she sobbed, the tears coursing down her cheeks as everyone fully realized just how hard this decision had been for her, "but it can't be done at the cost of so many lives.. my mother, Queen Serenity would never forgive us when she learned that her life had cost the lives of so many others - **I'd** never forgive myself," she admitted as she squeezed his hand, his face an unreadable mask. "Please don't let her sacrifice from so long ago be in vain," she pleaded, her voice the only sound to be heard in the quiet park. "Don't you see how happy we are here? We're all alive and have wonderful lives here on Earth. The scouts are still here and we still fight to protect the innocents! You could be a part of that life with us! Alden, you could be a part of our lives again," she whispered with a small, hopeful smile. "My love for Darien lives on, shining brighter than any star, and some day we're going to be married and have a child... I want you to be there with my parents to welcome her into this world! You.. you've always been like a father to me... I want you to be a grandfather to her," Sailor Moon pleaded, her eyes like liquid pools of love as Alden slowly closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

His little princess had poured her heart out to him, speaking her every thought, dream, hope and desire aloud to the world. And now she awaited his decision. The incantation that would bring about her deepest desires had already been spoken. The only thing that was needed now was for someone to act as the catalyst, to instigate the draining of the world that would power the ancient magic. While he knew that his Serenity now would never use the crystal, he could still end this, if he so chose, an act that would kill him before the energy had even begun to drain. His Serenity had taken the decision away from her and placed it in his lap--it was now his decision. Opening his eyes, Alden felt tears burn him as he pulled the child into his arms and squeezed her tightly. He would do anything for her - anything. "You need your mother, and your child will need her grandmother more than either of you will ever need me," he whispered quickly, his lips brushing against the golden tiara that hid her crescent mark before he shoved her away from him with all of his might.

As Super Sailor Moon flew back, landing roughly on the hard grass, Tuxedo Mask, Reenie, and the two guardians quickly swarmed around her. "Alden, **NO!!**" she screamed as she tried to struggle forward, only to be held back by her love. "**NO!!**" she screamed against as he raised his hands above his head and began the drain, even as the scouts quickly called out their strongest attacks in an act of desperation.

"Uranus world shaking rumble!"   
"Mercury aqua rhapsody shine!"   
"Jupiter oak evolution!"   
"Mars flame sniper!"   
"Venus love chain encircle!"   
"Neptune deep submerge attack!"

But even as Super Sailor Moon cried out in horror, the attacks seemed to get absorbed harmlessly into a field that surrounded Lucent. "Alden!" she screamed as the man tumbled weakly to his knees, his eyes becoming glassy even as dark clouds swarmed over the Earth, blocking out both the sun's warming rays and the moon's bright light and shrouding the planet in darkness. "**ALDEN!!**" she screamed as she quickly grasped her crystal in both hands. "Moon eternal make up!" she cried out as the bright light of the crystal pierced the gloom, tossing Tuxedo Mask, Reenie, and the cats aside and freeing Eternal Sailor Moon. Instantly she was on her feet and pushing through whatever field restrained the others, cradling Alden's head in her lap.

As darkness began to steal over his vision, Alden looked up into the eyes of an angel. Reaching up, he weakly brushed her tears away. "I'm sorry, my little princess... but I did this for you..."

"I know," Eternal Sailor Moon whispered as she bent over and kissed his forehead gently.

"I love you..."

"And I you, Alden... rest well with my mother," she whispered as the light left his eyes and as he slipped into darkness--into death. As the tears slipped down her pale cheeks, Eternal Sailor Moon watched as her friends stepped forward and formed a half circle around her and Alden.

"It's started," Sailor Mercury murmured as she scanned the dark skies with her visor.

"What's started?" Sailor Neptune quickly asked as she tore her eyes away from the dead man that their leader was lovingly laying on the ground, her heart going out to the girl.

"Wasn't that Lucent?" Sailor Uranus added, her dark and cold eyes narrowed as she searched the drawn faces of the other scouts. "What's going on?"

"No time," Tuxedo Mask responded just as quickly as Reenie slipped her small hand into his, her eyes worriedly probing his.

"What are we going to do?" Sailor Jupiter cut in, feeling the need to do **something**!

"What **can** we do?" Sailor Mars snapped in response.

"Millions will die..." Sailor Venus whispered, her eyes growing large.

Suddenly, Eternal Sailor Moon looked up from Alden's still face as she slowly climbed to her feet before her friends. "The silver crystal can stop this," she murmured as she looked down at the small compact that she held in her hand, none having seen her take it out.

Instantly Sailor Mercury began doing calculations as the scouts paled, all knowing how dangerous the idea was. Sighing, Mercury quickly shook her head. "It would take too much energy--you would die," she whispered, discarding that idea as she began wracking her brain for another.

"But you said that if she didn't do it then millions would die," Uranus interrupted quietly as she shot Tuxedo Mask a sidelong glance, watching as his face grew pale as he glanced down at the younger Reenie.

"I'll help you, Mommy," Reenie whispered quietly as she felt her Daddy tighten his grip on her hand. "I used the crystal to help you fight the Wise Man," she said, her voice growing stronger as she looked into Sailor Moon's bright blue eyes.... Eternal Sailor Moon now. "I can help you power the crystal," she offered with a bright smile, finally understanding why Puu had wanted her to go back, how she could help.

At Reenie's offer, Sailor Moon felt a well of cold fear fill her body. Forcing her eyes away from the little girl's earnest red eyes, she slowly looked at her wise friend, remembering her words too well even as Mercury mouthed: Too much. "So," Sailor Moon murmured as she looked at her friends with sad, sad eyes. "I have three options... I can either do nothing and let millions die, or use the crystal and die as a result, or let Reenie help give energy to the crystal which will mean **her** death..."

As a bleak silence fell over the group, Venus quickly shook her head, her blonde hair swirling around her. "These options **suck**!" she muttered angrily as she kicked at the ground.

"Sailor Moon... Mommy... if you die now then I'll never be born.. I'd die anyway," Reenie spoke up quietly, tears in her large eyes as she left the semi-circle and stood before her future mother, pointedly ignoring Lucent's body as she took her gloved hand and squeezed it tightly. "Let me help you so that I can have a chance at life," she pleaded solemnly, watching as Sailor Moon's eyes filled with tears.

"These options **REALLY **suck!!!" Sailor Venus interrupted, her own eyes filling with tears.

Choking back a sob, Sailor Moon quickly shook her head as the tears poured down her cheeks. She couldn't let millions of people die, but if she used the crystal alone then Reenie would never be born--she'd be killing her daughter... but if Reenie helped then she would die now! But she couldn't let all of those people die, even if it meant Reenie and her mother's life. But there **had** to be some other option she was missing!! Letting millions die wasn't even a possibility, but the other two options spelled Reenie's death anyway that you looked at it... but Reenie had to survive this to age and start visiting them two years ago. Groaning, she quickly shook her head and looked away from Reenie's pleading eyes and into Darien's, not surprised to see them filled with tears--after all, it was their future that she was forced to decide. There had to be another... _I love you so much Serena... just like my mother... I have always wished that things could have been different and that you could have been her...>_ In an instant she felt everything become clear as her tears dried and her expression became serene. "Reenie will be born and I will die," she stated firmly as she lost herself in Darien's blue eyes, her Tuxedo Mask. Turning away, she regarded each of her friends in turn. "I never could have made a different choice--if Neo-Queen Serenity really is me and she was faced with this decision, then her choice would be no different," she murmured as she slowly turned her eyes back to Reenie. "But that's the thing--she was **NEVER** faced with this decision," she murmured as she slowly raised her hand and encased the little girl in a crystal with her powers, safe from harm.

Instantly, Reenie began pounding her tiny fists on the smooth crystal wall, her cries lost to the world.

Smiling through a fresh wave of tears, Eternal Sailor Moon... Serena, placed a slender, gloved hand on the faceted surface. "I wish that I could have been her as well... and I suppose that in a way I am," she murmured as she turned away and back towards the others.

If the situation hadn't been so grave, Serena would have laughed at the looks on the faces of her friends, frozen in place by confusion and surprise. Smiling softly she turned and regarded each in turn. "Sailor Neptune... Michiru..."

_ Shaking her head slowly, Serena looked back and forth between Michiru and Haruka. "It might be ok for the people who are stepping on others. But what about those who are getting stepped on? Don't you have to think about those who are being sacrificed? I can't watch others being unhappy, even if I'm saved. Even if I can't do it myself, if people work together, there must be a way to do things without sacrificing anybody."_

_ Surprised at the girls words, Michiru slowly nodded her head. "Serena, you're such a nice girl." -- Sailor Moon S, Episode #102, "Ubawareta pure na kokoro. Usagi zettai zetsumei."_

"... Sailor Venus... Mina..."

_Shaking her head in disbelief, Serena slowly looked in amazement at the blonde who stood before her, the scouts finally all together. "I'm so happy. The Sailor V that I've been dreaming about is here in front of me."_

_ Grinning, Sailor Venus quickly shook her head. "The one and only!" -- Sailor Moon, Episode #34, "Hikari kagayaku ginzuishou! Tsukino princess toujou"_

"... Sailor Mars... Raye..."

_Sighing, Raye looked morosely over the beautiful fountain. "Serena, what's your dream for the future?"_

_ Sitting beside her friend, Serena slowly shook her head. "I haven't really thought about it," she admitted quietly as she stared at her friend in confusion. It wasn't everyday that she shared a conversation such as this one with her fiery friend._

_ "I want to be a singer or a song writer, a model, a wonderful priestess, and then..." she trailed off as her cheeks stained pink._

_ "And then?"_

_ Quickly, Raye hit Serena on the back. "Well, the wife of someone I love! Serena, you're going to marry Darien some day, right?"_

_ Now it was Serena's turn to blush. "That's embarrassing!" she laughed nervously._

_ "With your kind of test scores, it's embarrassing for Darien, too!" she laughed, her smile quickly fading as she saw Serena's hurt expression. "Well, studying isn't everything. Stay cheerful Serena; that's the most important thing." -- Sailor Moon S, Episode #90, "Chikyuu houkai no yokan? Nazono shinsenshi shutsugen"_

"... Luna..."

_Holding back her tears, Luna quickly left the house and walked down the stairs. Suddenly, she stopped to find Serena waiting for her. "Serena," she whispered weakly._

_ "Luna," Serena managed to whisper back, "is he the man you.."_

_ Holding back another sob, Luna slowly nodded her head. "Kakeru is a fool! He shouldn't hide his illness from Himeko... he loves her so much," Luna said as tears burned her eyes. "Serena, to tell you the truth, this even more foolish cat thought maybe there was something between us. But there could never be..." she trailed off as Serena became teary-eyed as well. And then, Luna couldn't hold her tears at bay as she quickly began to cry. "I wish I were human. If I were, I would be able to be with him and I'd be able to tell him my feelings so at least I wouldn't suffer like this!"_

_ Choking back her own sob, Serena quickly bent down and hugged her as they cried together. -- Sailor Moon S, The Movie_

"... Tuxedo Mask... my Darien and prince..."

_"I love you, Serena Tsukino... my meatball head," he murmured, his eyes never leaving hers._

_ "And I you, Darien Chiba... my muffin," she responded as she lazily wrapped her slender arms around his neck._

_ "No matter what happens here our love will never change," Darien vowed... -- "Eternal Serenity: Forgotten Memories"_

"... Artemis..."

_Turning, Luna slowly walked away when a familiar white cat stopped before her. Looking up guiltily into Artemis's bright eyes, she quickly looked down once again._

_ "Welcome back, Luna!" he said cheerfully, the warmth radiating from his voice._

_ Surprised, Luna glanced up once again as she blushed slightly. "Artemis.. why are you..."_

_ "I've always been by your side!" he answered quickly, a small smile on his furry lips._

_ Shaking her head, Luna quickly began to cry. "Artemis!" she said as she ran up to him._

_ Smiling softly, Serena watched all of this from behind, a pleased smile on her lips as someone put a soft hand on her shoulder. Turning, she looked up into Darien's loving eyes. "Darien," she whispered, looking up at him briefly before they both turned to watch, holding hands as Luna and Artemis snuggled together, together at last. -- Sailor Moon S, The Movie_

"... Sailor Jupiter... Lita..."

_Trying to keep from drooling all over herself, Serena stared eagerly at the new girl's lunch. "Wow, that looks delicious!"_

_ Surprised, Lita slowly looked the girl over. "Aren't you afraid of me?" she asked in confusion, trying to hide her hurt._

_ Now it was Serena's turn to be surprised as she slowly looked at the new girl. "Huh, why?"_

_ Smiling, Lita quickly offered the girl some of her food and then watched in amazement as the small girl finished the food in a hurry._

_ "Hey, thanks!" Serena laughed, happy to find someone so willing to share such great food. -- Sailor Moon, Episode #25, "Koisuru kairiki shoujo, Jupiter-chan"_

"... Sailor Mercury... Amy..."

_Struggling, Sailor Moon quickly got back up as her eyes filled with tears. "I don't believe that you'll hurt us. I believe in you," she murmured as Mercury prepared to attack._

_ But then Sailor Moon's words rang through her mind and she quickly turned on the droid. "It's you who I must destroy!" she cried out as she powered up. "Shine aqua illusion!" she yelled out as the droid staggered under the attack. "My friends mean to much to me for your tricks to work!" she yelled, causing a proud smile to lift Sailor Moon's features as she finished the droid off. -- Sailor Moon R, Episode #27, "Ami-chan he no koi!? Mirai yochi no shounen"_

"... Sailor Uranus... Haruka..."

_"Uranus world shaking rumble!" Sailor Uranus called out as Sailor Moon jumped out of the way, landing behind the scout. Turning, Uranus quickly began punching and kicking at her, but she missed on all sides. And then, as Sailor Neptune came up and grabbed Sailor Moon from behind, Uranus quickly started running at her when the silver crystal activated, knocking Neptune back and crashing the outer scouts into one another._

_ Smiling softly, the two scouts kneeled before Sailor Moon. "I'm happy to see that you're finally showing your true power," Neptune murmured quietly._

_ "Yes, we've found the true Messiah and have saved the world," Sailor Uranus added as she smiled at the scout. -- Sailor Moon S, Episode #126, "Atarashiki Inochi! Unmei no Hoshiboshi Wakare no Toki"_

"... I love you all so much," Sailor Moon murmured as her tears blinded her. "I'm sorry Mother," she whispered as the crystal appeared between her hands. "Cosmic moon power!!" she cried out, triggering a series of events as she was changed into Princess Serenity in a flash of blinding light, floating high above Reenie's crystal prison as Tuxedo Mask was transformed into Prince Endymion in turn, floating up until he was standing directly behind his love, his head at the perfect height above hers as his arms stretched out on either side of her, helping to hold the crystal as he willingly gave his energy to her--the perfect fit for one another, like two pieces of a puzzle coming together to form a whole.

"Come on!! If she's going to do this then we have to help her all that we can!" Sailor Mars cried out urgently, snapping them out of their shocked stupor as the scouts quickly closed the circle around Reenie's prison, their eyes locked on the couple floating high above.

U N   
Me SE V   
J M

"Mars planet power!   
"Jupiter planet power!"   
"Mercury planet power!"   
"Uranus planet power!"   
"Neptune planet power!"   
"Venus planet power!"

As they energy poured forth, the colors quickly combined and coalesced into one as they flew into the princess's form, feeding the powerful crystal. But soon, the scouts could give no more as exhaustion kicked in and as they staggered to their knees, falling one by one.. first Mercury, and then Venus, and then Mars, followed by Jupiter, and then Neptune, followed closely by Uranus. Soon after, Prince Endymion could give no more either as he fell silent and clutched at his love, feeling the crystal's strength run dry even as Serenity began to pour her own strength into the crystal, working to stop the powerful spell that had been cast, working to undo the evil that had been done in the name of love. But soon, too soon it seemed, Princess Serenity's own strength began to ebb as she and her prince began to slowly lower to the ground. But unlike the others, she couldn't stop giving as the crystal drained her and as the glow surrounding her began to fade.

And then, as the darkness surrounding the Earth began to lift, leaving the puzzled populous behind, Serenity and Endymion settled on the soft grass, the young princess's soft head cradled in his lap even as Reenie's crystal prison melted away. "Serena!" Darien whispered quickly, ignoring their forgotten names of the past.

Sighing, Serena weakly opened her eyes, fluttering them against the bright moonlight. "Darien, my love..." she whispered, feeling Death's cold hand draw her near as she weakly tried to lift her hand to brush it against his soft cheek, unable to even do that as it fell away.

Blinking back his tears, Darien quickly snatched her soft hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing it tenderly.

Smiling weakly, Serena felt her heart break at the thought of leaving him as she knew she must. "... never forget your promise to me... never stop looking for me..." she murmured as she fought against the darkness--forever fighting. "... when our locket, the symbol of our love, stops playing... only then will all hope be lost... find me again in life and not in death......." she whispered as her eyes pleaded with Darien, filled with so much love and warmth.

"I'll find you again," Darien vowed as Serena's eyes slid shut for the last time, her body going limp in his strong arms. "Serena," he whispered, a solitary tear trailing down his cheek. "Nnnnnnoooooooooo!!" he suddenly roared as he tipped his head back and screamed at the dark night sky. And up above, the moon shone gently down, caressing her silent child with her loving light as she welcomed her into her arms once again, shining for all of eternity.

**The End... for now**

Now, before I get flamed out of existence let me tell you that this tale is **far** from finished. I hate sad endings as much as the next person and I promise that this tale **will** have a happy ending that involves our favorite characters.... after all, while the Silver Millennium ended in similar tragedy, that didn't spell the end for our favorite couple... don't you just love cliff-hangers?? Now that it's been said, please send your comments/criticisms away to [Lisette_1@lycos.com][1]. Since I'm back in college now and have become real busy, I may need... encouragement to continue! ;p Thanks for the read!

   [1]: mailto:Lisette_1@lycos.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/index.html
   [3]: http://www.tcp.com/doi/smoon/smoon.html



	4. Eternal Serenity

**"Eternal Serenity: Eternal Serenity"**   
by Lisette   
Please send all comments/criticisms to: [Lisette_1@lycos.com][1]

Disclaimers: The characters within all belong to Naoko Takeuchi, DIC, Toei Animation and whoever else has rights to them. I own nothing but the story idea found within.

Author's Babble: This is my fifth fic for the SM universe, the fourth part of the "Eternal Serenity" series, and if interested, please feel free to check out any of my other fics at [http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/][2]. Also, any comments/criticisms would be greatly appreciated at the e-mail address listed above.

Rated: PG-13

* * *

**"Eternal Serenity: Eternal Serenity"**

As the group shook in grief, the scouts stared in horror at their leader's body... the lifeless form of their princess. "This can't be happening," Jupiter murmured in shock, her eyes filling with tears as she tumbled to her knees on the soft grass.

"The Messiah of Light," Uranus whispered, shaking her head slowly as Neptune moved silently to her side.

"We failed her," Mars whispered as Venus gently wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulders, the two crying into each other's arms even as Luna collapsed beside Artemis.

"No..." Mercury whispered as hot tears burned at her eyes. "She's not dead," she murmured quietly as she looked from Jupiter, to Uranus and Neptune, to Mars and Venus, and then back to Serenity and Endymion. And then, she turned till her watery blue eyes were locked on Reenie's small form. The poor little girl stood alone, forgotten by everyone in their grief, her large red eyes filled with tears as she stared in horror at Serenity's still form, her future **mother's** still form. "She can't be dead," Mercury said, this time a bit louder, her eyes locked on Reenie's shaking form. When she got no response, Mercury quickly looked up to see that her comment had gone unnoticed. And then, in that moment, the ever calm and patient Sailor of Mercury felt herself lose control in what could be the first time in her life. "**SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!!!**" she screamed out, causing all to look at her in surprise.

"But I'm afraid that she is, Sailor Mercury," a soft and gentle voice, so filled with sadness, spoke up from behind her.

Turning quickly, Mercury and the others watched as a lone woman stepped out of the shadows, her eyes filled with tears. "Puu!" Reenie sobbed in relief as she ran desperately for the woman, allowing herself to be scooped up into her warm and comforting embrace.

"But she can't be dead," Mercury insisted as Sailor Pluto moved till she was standing beside Prince Endymion, the young man still holding Serenity's still form. "She can't be dead because that means that Reenie was never born and she couldn't be here now, it's a..."

"But this isn't a paradox," Pluto interrupted sadly as she smoothed Reenie's pink hair. "This ended exactly as it should."

"I don't understand," Darien whispered softly as he gently brushed a hand against Serena's cool cheek.

"Of course you don't," Pluto acknowledged as the others slowly edged closer. "Only Princess Serenity truly understood..."

"What happened?" Reenie asked as she tried to wipe her tears away, a soft sob escaping her lips.

"Allow me to explain, Small Lady," Pluto stated quietly as she hugged the girl. "But I will need everyone's patience for my explanation is long and complicated." When she saw that she had everyone's attention, the Guardian of Time began. "As you all know, I guard the Gates of Time, but what is less known is that I also guard the Dimensional Gates. For you see, for every single decision that every single person has, many different options are presented. For each of those options a different world is created... a different dimension of sorts is created. For example, if a person was walking through a forest and was faced with three different paths, three new dimensions are created to handle each choice--one dimension in which the person turned right, one for going straight, and one for when the person turned left. But the choices can be vast, the worlds branching off from something as simple as choosing a different route to work one morning to as serious as a terrorist pushing the switch on a bomb or not. For each of those choices a different dimension is created in which things play out differently."

"But what does that have to do with what happened? With Serena?" Mars asked quickly, her grief turning to anger.

"She's supposed to become Neo-Queen Serenity and rule over Crystal Tokyo," Luna sobbed as Artemis rubbed against her side.

"She's supposed to be my mommy," Reenie whispered as she looked down at Serenity's beautiful form.

"No, your Princess Serenity was supposed to die this night, saving millions of lives," Pluto countered sadly.

"But, Neo..."

"I'm sorry, Darien," Pluto interrupted, her face a mask of grief, "but she was **NEVER** to become Neo-Queen Serenity or have Small Lady."

"You mean... she's not my mommy?" Reenie whispered in shock as tears swarmed in her eyes.

"Not this Serena," Pluto agreed, wincing at the look on Darien's face. "Small Lady, all this time, when you've been going back in time to this Tokyo, you've also been skipping to another dimension than from the one that Crystal Tokyo resides in."

"So when we went..."

"Yes, Sailor Venus," Pluto interrupted once again with a kind smile. "When you voyaged to the future with Small Lady, it wasn't your future but her Crystal Tokyo."

"But what about the Dark Moon family?" Mars asked quickly.

"Unknowingly, they too traveled not only back into the past, but into your dimension."

"Of course," Mercury murmured sadly, "we'd never be allowed to see that much of our future."

"I'm sorry," Sailor Pluto whispered as she tightened her hold on the little princess.

"So what happened?" Darien asked suddenly, his eyes burning with anger as he clutched Serena's lifeless body closer. "What was different that let Neo-Queen Serenity survive this?!"

Sighing, Sailor Pluto slowly closed her eyes. "A few months ago Dr. Henry Parker led a team of scientists to do some tests in the North Pole. He was faced during the last week with a choice of working on a site to the right or left. In this dimension he chose right and uncovered Lucent. In Small Lady's dimension he chose the left so that Lucent remained lost in his sleep, undiscovered until shortly after Neo-Queen Serenity came to the throne..."

"And then what happened?" Mars asked bitterly as she stalked forward, glaring at the outer scout. "Was she able to convince him then?!"

"No," Pluto murmured sadly as she stared into the scout's grief-filled eyes. "In all the different dimensions Serenity is **never** able to convince Lucent otherwise. Instead, she was strong enough then to survive the use of the silver crystal."

"So... my Serena is dead?" Darien whispered, his voice choking as he stared in horror at the girl that he held in his arms.

"That body is dead, but her soul lives on," Pluto quickly murmured as she reached down and placed a gentle hand on the prince's shoulder, cradling Small Lady with her other arm. "In each dimension it is still your Serena, but as different options open up and different paths are chosen, she experiences different things and changes slightly from how you know her--but it's **always** Serena."

"Serena is eternal... eternal Serenity," Darien murmured quietly, his thoughts whirling around him as he slowly looked down at Serena's still form, a fallen angel. _"Darien, my love... never forget your promise to me... never stop looking for me... when our locket, the symbol of our love, stops playing... only then will all hope be lost... find me again in life and not in death......."_ As a numb hope began to fill him, Darien quickly pulled Serena's star locket away from the place where she always kept it. With trembling fingers he gently opened the clasp and nearly sobbed as their song tinkled out, strengthening his resolve.

Instantly tears came to Jupiter's eyes as she bent down and hugged Darien from behind, their friend obviously sitting in shock as he stared at the star locket. "Yeah, well even if she's alive elsewhere she's dead here!" she bit out angrily as she scrubbed her tears away with one hand. "And without Serena.. without Sailor Moon, our world is doomed--**we're** doomed!"

"I'm sorry," Sailor Pluto murmured as she slowly began to back up, Small Lady in hand.

"Where are you going?!" Uranus yelled as she began to advance forward, her eyes glittering dangerously.

"I'm bringing Small Lady back to her parents--it's time for her to go home."

"Well stay there," Uranus spat out as Neptune tried to hold her back. "If I ever see your face again then I'll kill you myself!" she vowed as tears came to Pluto's eyes.

"I understand," she murmured solemnly as she held Reenie closer.

"I want my mommy!" the little girl sobbed as she hid her face from the world. Not only had she just watched Serena be killed... but she also learned that Darien and Serena weren't her parents. "I want **MY** **MOMMY AND DADDY!!!**" she screamed as she held onto Puu for dear life.

"Reenie," Darien murmured quietly as he staggered to his feet, finally remembering his... the little girl.

Quickly, Pluto shook her head as she backed away further. "Not now, Darien," she murmured as she opened the time and dimensional gateway behind her. As she looked into his bright blue eyes, she smiled softly. Already the prince was beginning to understand. Reaching out, she gently squeezed his hand before backing away. "You will see your daughter again... find her again," she whispered before she and Small Lady disappeared in a flash of light.

Once more the park was left in silence as the scouts turned back to their fallen leader, the only sound to be heard was their quiet tears. Sighing, Darien slowly snapped the star locket shut and stuffed it in his pants pocket as he turned and knelt beside Serena. Gently, he lifted her still form into his arms, her beautiful dress softly covering his arms and hiding his armor.

"What are you doing?" Venus asked softly as she scooped Artemis into her arms, watching as Mercury did likewise with Luna.

"Bringing her to her parents," Prince Endymion stated quietly as he started down the path, the bright moon lighting his way.

Nodding, the scouts quickly feel into step behind him as they walked two by two, Venus and Mercury, Mars and Jupiter, followed by Neptune and Uranus. Together they formed a silent chain as they walked down the crowded streets of Tokyo, people stopping left and right to watch as the mysterious sailor scouts walked slowly in the open public, following a young man dressed in strange armor that bespoke of royalty. But most of all, the people noticed the grief that marked the warriors, the strange black cat that was actually **crying** in the arms of one scout... and the angelic young woman that lay so still in the young man's arms with hair so long that it trailed lightly across the ground they walked, a bright crescent moon marking her forehead. And without knowing why, the people were touched by this sight to the point of tears as they slowly joined the silent line behind the Sailor Scouts.

"Serena..." Molly whispered as tears filled her eyes, gripping Melvin's hand tightly as the procession walked slowly past. Without a word they joined the group.

"Serena Tsukino," Mrs. Haruna whispered hoarsely as she recognized her old student and joined the silent group.

"Serena... Darien..." Andrew whispered hoarsely as he and his sister joined the procession.

"Sailor Moon," Catsy, Byrdie, Averie, and Prisma murmured in horror as they too stepped in line.

In the end, hundreds of thousands of people fell into step behind the sailor scouts, mourning a girl that few knew... an angel that could only be described as a princess.

Too soon, the line of people that stretched back as far as the eye could see stopped before the Tsukino household. Those that could see watched as Ilene Tsukino came to the door, but all heard her agonized wail as she recognized her beloved daughter and took her still form from the young man's hands. As the thousands of people cried to the moon for the mysterious young woman, the Tsukino family gathered on the front step and screamed for their beloved daughter and sister.

And slowly, Darien stepped back and stared up at the quiet moon. "I don't know how, but somehow I will find you again, Serena... in life, and not in death because you won't be waiting there for me. I'll find you again," he vowed as he looked up at her beauty. And on the wind, he could have sworn that he heard his love's faint laughter...

**The End... for now**

Don't worry folks, this series ain't done yet.. actually, it's only just begun. Stay tuned to see if Darien ever finds a way of getting back to Serena.. and keep that e-mail coming to [Lisette_1@lycos.com][1] I need to hear from you guys so I know whether to continue with this series or not! ;p

   [1]: mailto:Lisette_1@lycos.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/index.html



	5. The Voyage Begins

**"Eternal Serenity: The Voyage Begins"**   
by Lisette   
Please send all comments/criticisms to: [Lisette_1@lycos.com][1]

Disclaimers: The characters within all belong to Naoko Takeuchi, DIC, Toei Animation and whoever else has rights to them. I own nothing but the story idea found within.

Author's Babble: This is part five of the "Eternal Serenity" series, and if interested, please feel free to check out any of my other fics at [http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/][2]. Also, any comments/criticisms would be greatly appreciated at the e-mail address listed above.

Rated: PG-13

* * *

**"Eternal Serenity: The Voyage Begins"**

It was hard to believe that two years had passed since that day. Two years of tears, heartache, and loneliness without her. So much had happened since then... with the new enemy and the scouts being down by two... well, things weren't looking the best. First Sailor Moon had been killed and then Sailor Mars... killed in an attack on the shrine a year ago. The sailor scouts were down by two scouts, three if you included Sailor Pluto who still hadn't returned--that left five scouts left to fight the new evil, impossible odds that were made even worse since Sailor Mercury disappeared six months ago. Oh.. that dropped the number of scouts down to four--only Venus, Jupiter, Uranus... and Neptune... remained... and himself.

Sighing, Tuxedo Mask wearily rubbed his face as he detransformed, leaning against his balcony as he eyed the glittering city below, scoured by raging fires in places while gunshots ran through the night. Shaking his head, he slowly turned away and walked towards his closed bedroom door, favoring his uninjured left leg as he went. Turning the knob he stepped inside the room that had been converted into a lab, the bedroom furniture having long ago been moved out to make way for the equipment.

"You're back," Amy murmured quietly, a small smile on her lips as she glanced up from the object that she had been working on.

Nodding his head, Darien bit his lip as he eyed the young woman. She looked horrible. Rail thin from her lack of eating, the large bags under her weary blue eyes had become a permanent part of her body. "You haven't eaten again, haven't you?" he asked quietly, watching as she gently fingered his star locket, the object of her obsession for the last six months.

"It's not important," she murmured as her small fingers worked within the components of the locket.

"But..."

"How did the battle go?" she interrupted, not wanting to hear yet another lecture from her friend.

"... Sailor Neptune was killed," he murmured quietly, closing his eyes as he remembered Uranus's overwhelming grief and her screams of emotional pain... a pain that he remembered all too well.

A heavy sigh was Darien's only reply as Amy continued to work. "The others... they think that you're dead... maybe it's time to go..."

"My mom died in an attack on the hospital yesterday," Amy interrupted quickly, her voice showing no emotion even as tears flooded her bright eyes.

"I... I'm sorry," Darien murmured, reaching for her before slowly pulling away. "I didn't know..."

"Darien, I disappeared from everyone and came to you six months ago," she murmured, instantly capturing his full attention. "I left behind everyone and everything that I loved, telling no one that I was going and came to you with no explanation--hiding here as I worked."

Nodding slowly, Darien met Amy's blue eyes and asked the questions that he had been wondering for so long but had been too hesitant to ask. "Amy, why did you come? Why did you make me promise not to tell everyone where you were and that you're alright? What have you been doing?"

"Six months ago I was visited by Sailor Pluto..." Amy murmured as her eyes misted over. "She explained to me what must be done--what I must do for you..."

"For me?" Darien asked in confusion.

"Yes... Darien, you must find Serena again and fulfill your destiny," Amy murmured as Darien looked at her in shocked amazement. "You must leave our dimension and find her again."

"What?" he asked as he quickly stumbled back, shaking his head quickly. "But I can't leave you guys alone to fight this!"

Sighing, Amy slowly shook her head. "Do you think that I ever would have left my friends to fight alone all those months ago if there was hope for our world?... I think that Sailor Pluto is going to awaken Sailor Saturn... the senshi of destruction and the only one capable of keeping the evil from spreading," she whispered as the tears flooded her eyes once again.

"But.. but Hotaru is just a little kid! She's only three or four years old!" he cried out in horror, knowing that the resurrection of Saturn could mean only one thing.

"Darien, it's time for you to go," Amy murmured softly as she slowly stood and moved before her friend. Gently she pressed the star locket into his hands. "I've programmed the locket to take you as close to Serena as possible in each new dimension, but because you cannot exist in that world with the other you, it will be more like you're looking in. You will be able to touch nothing, be invisible to everyone else, and you will be able to move by thought. When and if the other you is no longer in that dimension then you will become real and a part of that world. The locket will basically bring you to each dimension a little before the change happens that makes that dimension take a different path than our own... when you're ready to leave all you have to do is **want** to go and you'll be moved to the next dimension," Amy explained, praying that Darien had gotten over his shock and was paying close attention... she didn't have the heart to go over it again.

"But you'll die," Darien murmured weakly as he clenched the locket in his hand.

"Only this body... my spirit will live on," Amy whispered as a single tear dripped down. "There's no hope for this world without Serena... find her again, but remember that you may have to search for a long time before you find where you belong."

"But..." he trailed off as the star locket clicked open, mesmerizing him with the hauntingly familiar tune. _"Darien, my love... never forget your promise to me... never stop looking for me.... when our locket, the symbol of our love, stops playing... only then will all hope be lost... find me again in life and not in death..."_

Smiling softly, Amy gently reached forward and clicked the locket closed as warm memories of her best friend flooded her mind. "Darien, there is nothing left for you here," she murmured softly. "Find her again and be happy."

Sighing, Darien slowly nodded his head as he quickly pulled the young woman forward and hugged her tightly. "Thank you for everything, Amy," he whispered against her ear.

"Just make her happy," was Amy's whispered response as Darien disappeared in a flash of light. Blinking back her tears, the Sailor of Mercury then moved until she was standing beside her work table. "My soul will be waiting there for you," she whispered, the tears trailing down her pale cheeks as she picked up the revolver with shaky hands that she had hidden. "I love you all," she sobbed as a single gunshot echoed in the dark night, lost amongst the violence of her world.

**The End... for now**

Okay, since I've been dishing out some pretty heavy fics for the last ... oh... three fics, I'll be nice and lighten up the mood quite a bit with my next one! *grins* Happy fic next time, I promise! Still, send the comments/criticisms away to [Lisette_1@lycos.com.][1] Thanks for reading!!

   [1]: mailto:Lisette_1@lycos.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/index.html



	6. A Different Light

**"Eternal Serenity: A Different Light"**   
by Lisette   
Please send all comments/criticisms to: [Lisette_1@lycos.com][1]

Disclaimers: The characters within all belong to Naoko Takeuchi, DIC, Toei Animation and whoever else has rights to them. I own nothing but the story idea found within.

Author's Babble: This is part six of the "Eternal Serenity" series, and if interested, please feel free to check out any of my other fics at c. Also, any comments/criticisms would be greatly appreciated at the e-mail address listed above.

Rated: PG-13

* * *

**"Eternal Serenity: A Different Light"**

As the flash of bright light slowly faded away, Darien stumbled slightly as he tried to take in his bearings... only to fall to his knees as a wave of frightening nausea ripped through his strong physique. Groaning, he quickly curled up into a fetal position as waves of pain wracked his body, his mind gone numb as he hoped either for relief from this torment or the quick end of death.. at least then he would be with his Serena.

And then, just as quickly as the mysterious pain came upon him it was gone like a thief into the night. Shaking his head, Darien slowly blinked his eyes open as he uncurled from his tight position.. and instantly froze as a piercing arctic wind tore at his limbs. How he could not have noticed this immense cold before was beyond him as he slowly fought off the bite that threatened to freeze his delicate membranes closed over his bright blue eyes, so haunted with the pain of the last two years. But on all sides, all he saw was a blinding white that threatened to blind him with its brightness. "What on Earth?" Darien mumbled as he slowly climbed to his feet, his worn shoes crunching over the hard and bitter snow.

Where was he? What had happened? All he remembered was returning from yet another hopeless battle.. a battle that had ended in Sailor Neptune's death.. and the tortured screams of Uranus.. yes, he remembered that all to well. And then.. and then he had returned to Amy, still locked away in his bedroom-turned-study, hiding from the world as she slaved away at a project that she kept hidden from him, pouring night and day over his star locket.. Serena's star locket...

Wincing at the thought of his beloved, Darien quickly closed his eyes once again and slowly knelt down, ignoring the cold bite that inched through his thin pant leg. He would never get over her death.. he didn't know how he could possibly live without her, yet each day passed with a horrid monotony as he waited for his end to come.. so he could be with her once again.

But then something had happened... he had gone to see Amy and she.. she had finally revealed the truth behind the reason that she had disappeared out of the lives of her friends, her scouts... the star locket. He remembered now... Amy had been visited by Sailor Pluto shortly after Sailor Mars' death and had told Amy to construct a dimensional gateway out of the star locket so that he could travel to find his love once again.. so that he could be with his Serena once again.

Gasping, Darien's eyes flew open as he quickly turned, surveying his surroundings once again as he staggered to his feet. Now, the cold was of no consequence as he took in the desolate landscape. His Serena was here.. she was here and alive.. she had to be... but where was here? And then.. he knew. Without even knowing why, Darien quickly closed his eyes and pictured his love in his mind's eye, he pictured Serena in all of her glory--her golden hair tied back in twin tails of gold that flowed around her slim form, her sparkling blue eyes that always shined with warmth, and her angelic smile... he pictured it all and then in a flash of light she was there, kneeling before him.

Wincing, Darien saw that her beautiful Sailor suit was in a tattered ruin as she knelt before.. as she knelt before Prince Endymion, himself, corrupted by the evil energy that polluted his blood in Beryl's dark cavern. That sight was the only thing that prevented him from running into her arms... it had been so long since he had seen his love.. so very long since he had held her close. He had thought that she was lost to him forever. Closing his eyes, Darien stumbled to his knees at the memory. The scene.. the scene was so familiar that it was as though he was reliving his memory, watching it all happen again. Shaking away the feelings of being forced to act against the one that he loved, Darien watched as the scene played out before him.

"Good-bye Sailor Moon," his other murmured, his eyes dark and cold as they appraised his angel, so broken before him.

"Serena," Darien whispered brokenly, falling to his knees on the hard stone cavern floor as his blue eyes filled with tears. Even though he had been under Beryl's control, even though he watched himself do this now, he remembered it all as if it were yesterday. He remembered how his love had to struggle through the deaths of her friends, of those closest to her heart and was forced to continue on all alone. She was strong, his love, but her friends gave her strength. Without them, she wilted and faltered... she was truly alone and now she was faced with her love... the other was going to try and destroy her.

Shaking her head, Serena blinked back tears as she shook her head, ignoring all of the pain in each and every scrape and abrasion that marked her body, ignoring the tattered ruins of her heart at the death of her friends. "Darien, she may have your mind, but your heart belongs to me," she whispered, speaking the truth from her heart. "You remember.. don't you?" she whispered, her voice taking a note of pleading.

"You are the enemy," the other answered stonily, his eyes cold and hard like the glacier ice that rested outside the dark caverns.

"No, she is the light," Darien murmured, a single tear streaking down his cheek. He knew what was to happen this night... his love would conquer, but their love would be lost yet again. But... would that happen again? Shaking his head, Darien felt his heart ache as he remembered Amy's words... something in this world would change from his memories, something would happen to make this world take a different path then his own. But the question remained... how would it change? Where would it occur?

"No I'm not," Sailor Moon quickly denied, shaking her head as she quickly withdrew something from the tattered remains of her uniform. "Look Darien, it's our locket..." she whispered, holding the object out for her love to see as the weak light of the cavern glinted off of the shining gold, the crescent moon twinkling. And then, the moon began to rotate as their song twinkled out, the song like music to his ears as the tears sparkled in his angel's eyes.

"The symbol of our love," Darien whispered, reaching within his jacket to finger the cold locket from his own time.

"Don't destroy it," Serena continued, unable to hear Darien's whispered words as her eyes remained fixated on the cold blue eyes of her love, the other. "Remember? It's our locket, the symbol of everything that we shared," she whispered, the tears trailing down her cheeks, "all those happy times on the moon... don't let her take all of that away from us," she begged, trying to keep the locket steady in her shaking hands. "Please Darien! It's me, Darien, Princess Serenity... I've come to set you free again," she murmured as the other, her Prince Endymion, slowly lowered his gleaming sword to the ground beside him. "Just like I promised."

"I remember," the other said slowly, his clear eyes beginning to become hazed.

"Oh, all you have to do is touch it," Serena whispered, barely allowing the hope to touch her voice.

Sighing, Darien watched with baited breath as the other, his self from this other time, slowly reached out his trembling fingers towards the star locket. And then, as his skin brushed across the gleaming gold surface a bright light flared around his body, flying everywhere as the other groaned and slipped to his knees, the sword forgotten by his side.

"Oh Darien..." Serena murmured as she fell forward and wrapped her small arms around him, the tears coursing down her cheeks.

"Thank you," the other groaned as his blue eyes, finally clear of the evil that Beryl had cast, rested on those of the one he would always love.

Darien remembered this moment too well and watched as a single rose fell on the sword, a bitter sweet smile touching his lips. If only this story could have a happy ending.

"I'm free," the other continued, content in having Sailor Moon's arms wrapped so tightly around him. In that instant, he remembered it all... Princess Serenity, the Moon Kingdom, Queen Serenity, the destruction, Darien, and Serena.. he remembered all.

"Oh, I know Darien.. I know.." Serena whispered as she quickly hugged his neck.

"Ugh.. that's so sweet I'm getting cavities!"

Even Darien was surprised at the interruption to the touching moment as he quickly turned and felt his eyes narrow on the witch that caused it all.. and would end it all for his love. She would end his life in a matter of minutes, again, and Serena, his angel, would be left all alone. Why did she always have to be alone?

"This sailor brat isn't going to insult me in my own place!" she roared.

Sighing, Darien knew what would come next.. the thing that would drive them apart once again, the thing that would bring about their memory loss so that they would have to be without one another yet again until Alan and Ann returned them. Why were they always punished so? Pushed apart in ways so that their true love couldn't blossom and flourish in the light? Turning, Darien watched as Queen Beryl, overwhelmed with jealousy, her eyes dark brimming with hatred, formed a large spear of dark crystal that was threaded with nega energy. "Watch out!" he yelled, knowing that it was of no use as she launched the spear at Prince Endymion's turned back.

And like always, his other self turned in the nick of time and launched the rose that would save Serena's life, separating the spear into smaller shards, the shards that would soon pierce his back and end his life... but this time things were different. To Darien's amazement, as his other launched the rose he also dove forward and rolled with Sailor Moon to the side, completely avoiding the shards as his single rose impaled itself into Queen Beryl's chest, stabbing through her black heart.

"Darien!!" Sailor Moon screamed as the witch disappeared in a flash of light, quickly climbing to her feet and out of Prince Endymion's protective hold as she began inspecting him for injury, bright tears shining in her large eyes, so filled with love.

"Shh, it's alright," his other whispered as he quickly pulled Sailor Moon into his strong arms, smiling sadly as she buried her face in his chest.

"Oh Darien, I thought that I had lost you too," Serena murmured, the tears flowing freely as she held onto her love for dear life. "All of the others.. Lita, Amy, Mina, Rae... they're all..." she sobbed brokenly, obviously breaking the young man's heart.

"Oh Serena," Darien murmured as he watched the other comfort his love. So this was how things changed.. _The locket will basically bring you to each dimension a little before the change happens that makes that dimension take a different path than our own... _Amy knew that this would happen and she had been right.. their own past had been altered and this was the change.. he had survived Beryl's attack upon him. But how did this affect the rest? Turning, he quickly watched as the drama unfolded, all of this new to his senses.

"Come on Serena, I'm getting you out of here," the other said quickly as he climbed to his feet, pulling Serena along with him until she was standing shakily before him.

"What?" Serena gasped as she pulled back slightly and looked at her Darien in surprise. "But Beryl..."

"You're in **NO** condition to fight.. I'm taking you back to Tokyo..."

"No," Serena interrupted softly, her eyes haunted with so much grief, haunted with the loss of so many that she loved. Yet in her eyes... in her eyes Darien saw the light that would always shine forth, the light that marked her as his love for eternity. "We cannot leave until Beryl is destroyed for once and for all," she murmured with a determination that she hadn't known that she had possessed.

Sighing, Prince Endymion nodded his head slowly as he looked into Sailor Moon's bright eyes. Both Darien and the prince knew the look that shone forth in her eyes. "And you won't do it alone," he vowed as he gripped her gloved hand tightly in his own.

"Together forever?" she whispered, tears shining on her pale face as her love caressed his own.

"Forever," he whispered as together they left the empty cavern, prepared to battle until the death.

Smiling softly, Darien slowly trailed after the couple. That was his Serena all right... he knew how afraid she was.. later, after it was all over, Serena had confessed her fear to him, how after the death of her friends she slowly lost all hope until she wanted nothing more than for it all to just go away. But throughout it all she wouldn't allow herself to give up.. not for the world. It was that very aspect of Serena that he loved so much--her caring heart. He would **always** love Serena, and while he wished more than anything that it was his hand that she held, he took comfort in the fact that in a way, it was. He was alive, in this dimension, and Serena wouldn't have to face her worst nightmare alone.

With purposeful strides she crossed the barren wastelands, he and his other walking on each side of her as Darien stared at the golden light that should always warm the Earth... he almost wept at the beauty that he hadn't seen in over two years since her death.

But once more, his thoughts were interrupted as what could only be described as the laughter of the devil rang out into the glacial strip. Turning, Darien's eyes narrowed as they focused on Queen Beryl, now a towering frame over them and fused with the Negaverse.

"Better enjoy that laugh, Beryl," Serena muttered tightly, her hand gripping Darien's in a death-like grip. "It's going to be the last one that you ever have! You're never going to rule the earth as long as I live!!"

Almost laughing at the threat, Beryl smiled down at the child and her love. "We better get this over with," she said caustically, summoning the death that surrounded her.

"Let's get to it," Sailor Moon agreed as she lifted her crescent moon wand.

"You don't know what you're up against," Beryl laughed as she reared back with her power. "Good bye Sailor Moon!" she screamed as the power flew forth from her hands, blinding Darien as he unconsciously stepped away from his love and the other's sides.

When at last Darien's sight had cleared, he found himself faced with a tower of crystal ice. But he wasn't worried.. he knew what was to come and knew that his love would never let them down... she was incapable of such a thing. With a proud smile, Darien stood back, ignoring the biting wind and watched as the crystal tower exploded open in a petal of light... and standing atop in all of her glory was his Princess Serenity, his Serena, with Prince Endymion standing proudly beside her.

"I will defeat you, Beryl, in the name of the moon," the Princess cried out, crystal tears of grief for all that she had lost pouring down her cold cheeks. Turning, she smiled up at her love. "Help me," she whispered, her voice so soft yet carrying to Darien's ears.

Nodding firmly, Prince Endymion placed his gloved hand over her smooth skin and helped her to hold the moon wand, the bright crystal glowing proudly from the tip. And together, they raised the wand and pointed it at the witch.

"You?" Beryl laughed, unafraid at the threat that posed her. "Pitiful little Princess Serenity?"

Ignoring the witch, Princess Serenity slowly closed her eyes, obviously willing for her body to relax.

"I hear you Luna..." she whispered, her words carrying to Darien as he watched it all unfold before him. "I'm not afraid any more."

"You should be!" Beryl growled, drawing back her energy even as the Princess did the same.

"Cosmic Moon Power!" she commanded as a wave of powerful white light poured forth from the tip, mixing with the energy of Prince Endymion that he gave so willingly. Instantly, her power of light met with that of Beryl's, startling the princess and causing a gasp of surprise to leave her lips. "Fight this evil!" she whispered, unaware of the pair of bright blue eyes that watched her from below.

"You can do this, Serena," Darien murmured, watching the strain line her beautiful face as Prince Endymion's forehead glistened with sweat. "You both can do this."

"Do not give up Serena," Endymion whispered into his love's ear, his arms wrapped tightly around her small waist. "You can do this!"

Nodding her head slowly, Princess Serenity glared up at the evil woman. "I am not letting you win this one you witch!" she hissed through gritted teeth. "My friends are counting on me!" she gasped, fighting back her tears.

In that moment, Darien knew that his angel thought of all those that she had lost in this battle, a frown of determination pulling at her face. And then, Darien had the eerie feeling that he and his princess were no longer the only ones on the battle field. As the flesh at the back of his neck began to prickle, Darien's eyes widened in amazement. Standing beside his princess and Endymion, the wispy silhouettes of the four soldiers, the dear friends that she had lost along the way, appeared around them, all offering their support.

"I do need all of you," Serena murmured, feeling their presence surround her. "Please help me!"

And then, Darien took another step back as the four voices echoed hollowly amongst the frozen wasteland:

"Mercury Power!"   
"Mars Power!"   
"Jupiter Power!"   
"Venus Power!"

"Cosmic Moon Power Unite!!" Serena screamed, drawing on the strength that her friends offered to her, building it around her as it poured forth and into the evil that they faced.

"This can't be!" Beryl gasped, shaking her head in denial as her nega-energy began to be absorbed and changed by the powerful white light. "Nooooo!!!" she screamed as she slowly melted away, leaving the light shining in the barren wasteland. "Noooooooooooooo!!"

Shaking his head, Darien watched all of this with wide eyes before he slowly turned back towards the tower of ice and snow. There, he felt his heart catch in his throat as his angel slumped against Prince Endymion, the young man quickly lowering her to the cold ground. "Serena!" Darien gasped, moving without thought until he was kneeling on the other side of his love.

"Serena!" the other echoed as he cradled Serenity's golden crown of hair in his lap, her face pale and unmoving as he gently clasped her hand within his own. Darien didn't think that he could handle losing her again... even if she wasn't his to lose, Darien knew that he just couldn't see her die again.

And then, to both of their relief, her eyes slowly fluttered open, crystal blue staring up weakly. "Darien?" she murmured as a small hand slowly lifted to brush against the other's face before falling limply back to her side.

"Oh Serena!" the other gasped, quickly pulling her close to his heart. "I had thought that I'd lost you..."

"Never," Serena whispered, a small smile touching her lips.

And in that moment, Darien knew that his time in this dimension was over. This world was indeed now different than the one that he remembered, then the one that he lived within. Just by the act of rolling with his love away from the spear that Beryl had thrown, the path of this world had changed. With himself there to support his love in her fight against Beryl, enough power had been built so that the attack had not cost the life of his love... both Serena and Darien remembered everything, and he would imagine, only the scouts, now back in their homes, suffered from the loss of memory. But his other had his angel's love.

"Beryl is gone," Serena whispered, "blasted back to the Negaverse... the universe is safe again..... thanks to you and my friends," she murmured, tears freezing to her eyes lashes as she stared wistfully up at her one and true love. This time, they were tears of joy.

Nodding his head, the other cradled his love closer, the love shining in his eyes. "Finally we have a chance for peace--real peace..."

Turning away from the couple, Darien slowly walked back along the wasteland, his hand reaching into his blazer and removing the small star locket. "I found you, my love," he whispered as he lifted the locket to his lips, kissing the smooth surface gently, "but it wasn't our time yet." And even though he knew that his search would have to continue and that he would not yet know the love of the one that he held so dear, he knew that his time was coming. And in the meantime, true happiness was found by this Serena and his other. Here, they were together and soon he would know Serena's love once again. "I'll find you again, my love... of that I promise," he whispered as he clicked the locket open, their melody wrapping around him like the soft blankets of love as the arctic world disappeared around him, forever playing their tune.

**The End... for now**

   [1]: mailto:Lisette_1@lycos.com



	7. Last Kiss

**"Eternal Serenity: Last Kiss"**   
by Lisette   
Please send all comments/criticisms to: [Lisette_1@lycos.com][1]

Disclaimers: The characters within all belong to Naoko Takeuchi, DIC, Toei Animation and whoever else has rights to them. Also, the lyrics and song of "Last Kiss" belongs to Pearl Jam and whoever else holds exclusive rights. I own nothing but the story idea found within.

Author's Babble: This is my fourth fic for the SM universe and if interested, please feel free to check out my other fic at [http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/index.html][2]. Also, any comments/criticisms would be greatly appreciated at the address listed above.

Description: The hunt for Serenity continues for Darien as the lyrics to a favorite song take a tormented twist.

Rated: PG-13

* * *

**"Eternal Serenity: Last Kiss"**

With a flash of bright light Darien knew that his journey was complete once again. Groaning as the familiar wave of nausea ripped through him, he quickly slipped to the ground, his worn slacks pressing against a lawn of soft green grass as tears of pain stung his eyes. Sighing, he waited the few minutes that it usually took for the side effects of his time/dimensional travel to fade before slowly climbing to his feet.

What he saw, like always, was enough to take his breath away as a vise closed around his bruised heart, tightening mercilessly. It was Serena's house--his meatball head... Wincing against the wave of painful memories, Darien quickly ducked his head into the shadows. He loved her so much.. so very much that sometimes he wondered why he did this, why he put himself through this torment of seeing his Serena happy and exuberant... and alive and with another of himself. When his own Serena had died in his arms, having given everything that she had to save everyone.

But, like always he knew the answer to that question. Even though it killed a little piece of him each time he had to watch his love die, in the end he would deal with it a thousand times over as long as there was hope that one day he could be with her again.. anything to be with her again.

Somehow his Serena had known this.. she knew that despite the small changes in the different worlds it was always the same soul--it would always be her and with her dying words she had begged him to find her once again--in life and not in death. The Meatball Head somehow knew something that Sailor Pluto had to tell the rest. Serena was eternal.

Shaking his head to clear his muddy thoughts, Darien allowed his eyes to roam up the brightly lit house till they settled on one lighted window. "Serena," Darien murmured as he closed his eyes and concentrated on that room. A moment later he was now standing amidst total chaos.

Chuckling slightly, Darien watched as Serena tore through her small bedroom, a whirlwind of flying clothes and jewelry. By the battered alarm clock and the warm breeze filtering in through her open window, Darien judged it to be a little after sunset in the beginning of summer.

"Oh my God! He's going to be here any minute!!" Serena screeched as she quickly slipped on a pair of small white sandals.

Rolling her eyes at her ward, Luna continued to lick her paws in an unconcerned manner. "If you wouldn't have had three helpings at dinner tonight then you would have had plenty of time to prepare for your date with Darien," she replied as Serena promptly stuck her tongue out at her guardian.

Chuckling again, Darien was once more thankful for his ability to observe uninterrupted... seeing Serena interacting by herself or with her friends without him around gave Darien a whole new look into Serena's personality... he kind of liked it.

"Besides, you look fine," Luna mumbled as she brushed a wet paw against her whiskers.

"This is my first **real** date with Darien," Serena grumbled as she fastened a pearl stud in one earlobe. "I don't want to look 'fine' for it! And you didn't even look!" she accused, stomping her foot to accent her words

Smiling, Darien slowly nodded his head. Now he knew when he was. Smiling appreciatively, he remembered that the first time that Serena's father had finally and reluctantly agreed to allowing Serena on a date, the first time he was actually acknowledged as a possible love interest for his daughter, was the week after Serena's sixteenth birthday. Nodding his head once more, he admired her slim form that was covered in a soft pink summer dress with thin straps that hugged her form before flaring out into a loose skirt that ended mid thigh (a birthday present from the scouts if he remembered correctly) with a light, white cotton sweater worn over top. Like usual her long, silky hair was worn in her high tails with two pearl clasps adorning them and a spray of fine curls lining her face. Already her large blue eyes were sparkling with an excitement that he remembered well.

Sighing, Luna paused in her grooming and looked up at the young girl. Immediately her dark eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "Why Serena, you look like a princess!" she exclaimed, her honesty showing in her evident surprise.

Laughing, Serena quickly ducked her head in embarrassment as a flush stained her pale cheeks. "Thanks, I think," she laughed, causing Darien's smile to grow.

Suddenly her bedroom door was thrown open as Sammy stepped into the room uninvited. "Serena, your **DATE** is here!" he cried out, snickering the whole way.

"Oh, he's early!" Serena wailed as she quickly finished putting on her light make-up as her brother continued to laugh from her doorway.

"You better hurry," he snickered as he prepared to run, catching his sister's blue eyes through her vanity mirror, "cause he's waiting with Dad!" he finished as he bolted, knowing what was to come next.

"Oh no... **DAAAAADDDDDDDDD!!!!**" she screeched as she grabbed her small purse and tore out of her bedroom.

Laughing fully now, Darien quickly shook his head as he concentrated on the living room below, remembering all to well the third degree that Mr. Tsukino would be giving his counterpart at that moment--and Serena's stunning entrance.

When Darien opened his eyes next he found himself in the Tsukino living room, his younger self standing tall under Mr. Tsukino's heated glare.

"And what exactly are your plans for the evening?" the man asked as his wife gently nudged him in the side, an exasperated smile pasted on her face.

"Serena and I are going to the ten o'clock showing of 'Runaway Bride' at the Tokyo Cinema," his younger self responded calmly, looking dashing in his favorite green blazer and slacks, a copy of what Darien was wearing now.

"Why so late?" Mr. Tsukino quickly asked, cutting the young man no slack and making it obvious that he didn't let his little girl out with just anyone.

"Because Serena said that she wanted to eat with her family first--that her mother was making her favorite."

"How kind of you, Darien," Mrs. Tsukino broke in before her husband could, "to respect her wishes like that."

Chuckling, Darien turned away from his younger self's reply and watched in amusement as Serena made her graceful entrance.

"**DAAADDDDD!!!**" Serena wailed as she flew down the stairs, catching everyone's attention as her foot somehow missed the final step, causing her to trip and go lurching forward--right into the other's arms.

"Like clockwork," Darien smiled as yet another blush stained her cheeks as her boyfriend steadied her on her feet.

"Serena, how many times have I told you..."

Tearing her eyes away from the other's bright blue eyes, Serena smiled brightly at her mother. "Sorry Mom, but we better run if we don't want to be late for the movie," she stated as she began dragging him towards the door.

"Running--exactly what I was trying to warn you against," her mother sighed as the couple slipped through the front door.

"I want her home by 12:30!!"

Smiling wryly at Mr. Tsukino, Darien slowly shook his head. "Don't worry, he'll have her back by 12:20pm.. **I'll** have her back by then," he laughed. He remembered that he and Serena has been so anxious to stay on her father's good side that they had sped home right after the movie--an event that had caused him to be pulled over by a cop who had just happened to glance away from his half eaten doughnut at the moment that they went by. Shaking his head, Darien quickly concentrated on the back seat of his car and prepared himself for yet another night of 'Runaway Bride.'

* * *

Two Hours Later

Smiling, Darien slowly leaned back in the comfy backseat of his car, thankful once more that his car **did** have a backseat. Like before, the movie had been good and it had been... heartwarming, to see his younger self gently take Serena's hand into his.. so nice to hear her laugh tinkling around at the funny parts in the movie. It was kind of like reliving a very good memory, and so far he hadn't encountered any deviations from his past.

"Ooooh, I love this song!" Serena suddenly squealed as she lurched forward and quickly turned up the volume, oblivious to her boyfriend's amused expression. ".... where can my baby be?" Serena crooned, diving into the song. "The Lord took her away from me. She's gone to Heaven so I got to be good, so I can see my baby when I leave this world..."

Sighing, Darien slowly let his eyes drift shut as the melancholy chords and Serena's angelic voice drifted around him. It was just as he remembered...

_"We were out on a date in my Daddy's car,_   
_We hadn't driven very far._   
_Up the road, straight ahead,_   
_A car was stalled, the engine was dead._   
_I couldn't stop so I swerved to the right,_   
_I'll never forget the sounds that night:_   
_The screaming tires, the busting glass,_   
_The painful scream that I heard last._

_Oh where, oh where can my baby be?_   
_The Lord took her away from me._   
_She's gone to Heaven so I got to be good,_   
_So I can see my baby when I leave this world._

_When I woke up the rain was pouring down._   
_There were people standing all around._   
_Something warm running through my eyes,_   
_But somehow I found my baby that night._   
_I lifted her head, she looked at me and said,_   
_'Hold me darling, just a little while.'_   
_I held her close, I kissed her our last kiss._   
_I found the love that I knew I would miss._   
_So now she's gone even though I hold her tight._   
_I lost my love, my life, that night..."_

Blinking back her tears, Serena sniffed quietly as Pearl Jam finished the song without her. "Oh Darien... it's so sad," she whispered, her large eyes filling with tears.

"But you made it sound beautiful," the other replied as a beautiful rose appeared in one hand, the other firmly holding the wheel. "As beautiful as my love for you."

Groaning at the young man's words, Darien watched as he handed the rose to Serena, a large smile lifting her features as the young man returned his eyes to the dark road. Chuckling softly, Darien couldn't help but wonder if his lines always sounded this cheesy. Smiling, Darien returned his attention to the road and noted with amusement that they were almost upon the police officer's hiding spot, the one who would pull them over. Grinning at his remembered embarrassment, Darien quickly slid over to Serena's side of the car and watched through tinted windows as the green landscape flew by. And then, his sharp eyes picked out the police cruiser as they whirled past... and watched in confusion as the officer didn't look up once.

"Uh oh," Darien whispered as he slid back into the middle of the car and quickly surveyed his surroundings. "So this is where the past changes," he murmured as he looked back and forth between the other and Serena. "From here on out everything is different and anything can happen--good or bad," he muttered as a familiar wave of adrenaline rushed through him. By the simple act of the police officer not looking up at the precise moment that they has passed by he had altered times as Darien knew it. Now, it was anyone's game, a game that could end as harmlessly as Serena arriving home even earlier... or it had the potential of ending much, much worse.

And then it began as they curved around a bank of trees, having taken a short cut that bypassed through a heavily wooded and less-traveled area of Tokyo. The curve was blind as a bank of clouds covered Serena's moon and the stars, the trees crowding in on either side. And then, up the road, straight ahead a car lay in the middle of the road, blocking both lanes with its engine dead. Leaning forward, Darien quickly squeezed the other and Serena's seats as the younger man quickly smashed down on the brakes, the new tires squealing in protest.

As Serena's frightened scream filled the car it quickly became obvious that they wouldn't stop in time as the other car drew closer. Hissing in between his teeth, the other quickly slammed the wheel to the right, barely avoiding the other car as theirs became airborne. Soaring high above the deep ditch and into the thick copse of trees, finally stopping as a massive oak tree halted their progress. The wrenching of metal, the busting glass, and Serena's painful scream all that Darien heard last as his invisible self was propelled from the car, passing harmlessly through the jagged metal and into the deep night beyond.

Gasping, Darien quickly turned back to the car as the sky above finally opened up with a crack of thunder and a torrent of rain. "She has to be alright," Darien murmured fervently as he hurried forward, unable to recognize the twisted metal as his own car. Serena was perfection... an all-powerful goddess... it seemed horribly, horribly wrong and impossible that she could be struck down by something so ordinary and devastating as a car accident when she had defeated evil so many times before. "Please let her be alright!" Darien pleaded as he crawled onto what was left of the car hood and peered through the space that once held the windshield.

What he saw caused his heart to stop and for hot tears to burn in his eyes. Amongst the twisted wreckage he saw his Serena, his meatball head, leaning against her door, unconscious as a thin line of blood trailed down from a nasty cut on her forehead. But what he really saw was the gaping wound that poured her red blood from her side, staining her pink dress in its darkness.

"Serena?" the other asked as he slowly opened his eyes, temporarily blinded by a thick trail of blood that marred the left side of his face, his window covered in a web-work of cracks from when his head had smashed against its surface. Turning, his hazy eyes quickly focused on his love as he quickly fumbled forward and fought against her seatbelt, awkwardly drawing her into his arms.

"Careful, careful with her!" Darien called out frantically to his younger self as panicked voices could be heard from the roadside.

"Serena!!" the other called again frantically over the crack of thunder as his love slowly opened her eyes and weakly focused on him.

"Darien," she whispered as tears stung her large eyes and as pain tightened her small form.

"Serena, oh my God, please hang in there!" the other pleaded as he hugged her close. "You're going to be alright!" he vowed, even as Darien knew that his other lied.

Smiling softly, Serena felt a few tears trickle down her pale cheek. "Hold me, Muffin, just a little while," she asked, her voice growing soft.

Nodding through his tears, the other quickly held her close and pressed his lips gently against hers, sharing in their last kiss. For as the other pulled away, Serena's eyes drifted close for the last time, gone even though he held her tight. Gone his love, his life, that night. "No," he moaned, his own pain forgotten as a new anguish filled him.

"Oh where oh where can my baby be?" Darien sang quietly as he appeared beside Serena, gently lifting his hand and smoothing it over her pale cheek, never able to feel her soft skin even as the other's tortured sobs filled the stormy night. "The Lord took her away from me. She's gone to Heaven so I got to be good, so I can see my baby when I leave this world..." he whispered as he slowly looked up, past the dark clouds, and to the bright moon beyond as he disappeared in a flash of light.

**The End... for now...**

   [1]: mailto:Lisette_1@lycos.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/index.html



	8. Finale

**"Eternal Serenity: Finale"**   
by Lisette   
Please send all comments/criticisms to: [Lisette_1@mailcity.com][1]

Disclaimers: The characters within all belong to Naoko Takeuchi, DIC, Toei Animation and whoever else has rights to them. I own nothing but the story idea found within.

Author's Babble: Voila, at long last the finale to the "Eternal Serenity" series, and if interested, please feel free to check out any of my other fics at [http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/][2]. Also, any comments/criticisms would be greatly appreciated at the e-mail address listed above.

Rated: PG-13

************************************************************************************************

**"Eternal Serenity: Finale"**

Groaning, Darien quickly shook his head, his black hair flying around his face as he fell to his knees, the familiar waves of nausea sweeping over him in crashing waves. God, how he hated this part.... but in the end, it would all be worth it when he found her again... if he ever again found her.

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, Darien slowly climbed to his feet, instantly taking aware of his surroundings.. thick carpeting at his feet, a warm interior, the bright city of Tokyo spread out beyond the thin frame of glass on a sliding glass door and beyond a balcony, the thick smells of freshly baked goods... and the sounds of someone pigging out. Unable to keep the smile from his lips, Darien turned and felt his eyes focus on Serena's small frame, literally bent over a small coffee table as she shoved an assortment of delicacies into her mouth as delighted noises escaped her lips.

His Serena.

"Ah... well, she sure likes her food."

Surprised, Darien tore his eyes away from his love's small frame and took in the rest of the occupants in the room.. and felt a frown pull at his lips. "Alan and Ann," he whispered, taking in the aliens in their human forms, sitting diagonal to his other, his past self, and his love. "But that means that..." he trailed off, searching his memory for any other times that he remembered being in this apartment with his love... he could only think of one...

Smiling coyly, Ann quickly put down the small cup she was holding, tearing her eyes away from her prey as she smiled at her 'brother' and Darien. "Why don't you two leave us alone for a little girl talk?" she asked, hiding her smirk behind a look of innocence, not missing the surprise that registered on Alan's face. "You could show Darien the view from the balcony--it's spectacular!"

"Oh no," Darien groaned, quickly covering his face as he settled his lean frame onto the couch beside Serena, just vacated by his other as the guys moved towards the balcony.

"Okay Darien," Alan nodded nonchalantly as he led the way onto the balcony, leaving the girls alone on the couch.

"Not this one," Darien muttered darkly as he finally lifted his head and watched as Serena forked a large strawberry that was dripping with sauce and began lifting it to her small lips. He could think of only one time that they had visited Alan and Ann together... and that was when their secret had been discovered, that the Doom Tree had been discovered. But then, thinking back on it, Darien shrugged his shoulders. What could be so wrong with that? In his memories, everything turned out for the better as he finally regained his memories and he and Serena were finally reunited.... that wasn't so bad.... which meant that the thing that changed in this world could be something that made the situation worse. Instantly, Darien groaned once again. Not more heartache... he didn't think he could take anymore.

"Oh Serena," Ann called out gaily, a huge smile lighting up her lips... a smile that instantly spelled trouble to Darien.

Pausing with the strawberry about to be swallowed whole, Serena slowly turned and focused her innocent eyes on the girl beside her. "Huh?"

"Now that we're alone I can show you..." Ann trailed off, her smile growing.

"Huh?" Serena repeated, slowly lowering the strawberry back to the plate as curiosity quickly got the better of her. She knew that the scouts believed that Ann and Alan were evil, but she was having such a hard time believing it.

"You know, the space plant that is locked away in Alan's room," Ann explained as she turned and looked back towards the closed door that had captured Serena's curiosity before.

Instantly a troubled frown creased Serena's lips as she eyed the door. "Hmm..."

Sensing the girl's hesitantness, Ann quickly rushed on. "Tell you the truth, I'm scared still of that thing in there!" she gushed, trying her best to seem sincere. "I don't know what he feeds it, you know?"

"Then why go in?" Serena quickly bit back, unable to hide her unease as she turned her eyes back to the tempting strawberry that sat oozing on her plate.

"Because you're too trusting," Darien sighed as he leaned back upon the couch, knowing that none could hear but unable to stop himself.

"I'm sure if you're with me I could do it," Ann stated, smiling warmly at the girl... or at least as warm as she could without gagging. "I could handle it.. come on, no time like the present to face your fears, right?" she peeped as she reached over and grabbed Serena's small hand, dragging the girl to her feet and yanking her towards the door. "This way.."

"Um...." Serena murmured, trying to hold back as Ann literally dragged her before the large door. Hating herself for it, Serena couldn't help but feel her legs begin to shake. "Can't we just eat more cream puffs?" she laughed nervously, wishing more than ever that Darien was back in the room and not out on the balcony with Alan.

Ignoring the girl's words, Ann quickly pushed the button to the door, positioning herself behind Serena. "Almost there, come on..." she trailed off as the door opened, revealing the inky darkness of the room beyond. Instantly, a grin of pure wickedness flitted across her features as she reared back and shoved Serena with all of her might, causing the girl to scream out as she tumbled to the floor. "Four Face, come here and drain the filling out of this little cream puff!" she ordered before quickly stepping back, her smile growing, never noticing as Darien slipped through, unable to prevent the panic that filtered through his limbs.

"I can't do anything to stop it," he reminded himself grimly as the monster swooped down and grabbed a hold of his beloved, draining her of her life energy. "Serena..." he murmured nonetheless, wishing more than anything that he could change places with her as the look of terror covered her beautiful features.

Suddenly, another voice broke through Darien's thoughts as he turned towards the Doom Tree.

"**ENOUGH!!!**" the voice roared, causing Darien to take an involuntary step back as he turned wide eyes towards the tree. "Enough! I've had enough!!"

"Huh? No more?" the creature asked in confusion, ignoring the words as it continued its drain on the girl it held captive.

"That's **IT!!**" the voice roared again as tree roots began breaking away from the floor and snaking all over, wrapping around Serena and the monster.

"Uh oh," Darien muttered, lithely jumping to avoid the deadly roots as Serena's scream of pain broke through his muddled thoughts. And even as they did, the door behind him slid open, revealing Alan, Ann, and his other, all wearing similar looks of shock and confusion.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" Ann gasped, taking a halting step forward as the other nearly jumped forward beside her.

"Serena!!" the other roared, panic filling his eyes as he watched the life being sucked out of the young girl, hurrying forward only to have another root wrap around him and lift him into the air beside Serena.

"Ann no!!" Alan echoed, his eyes locked on Serena's slim form, the light already leaving her eyes.

"Well, don't just stand there! Stop them!" Darien called out angrily, taking a hesitant step forward as his eyes locked on Serena's bright blue eyes. If he could only do something to help her....

"Out of control! Out of control!" the monster screamed before it got smashed to the ground, a tight root wrapped around its torso.

"Please, let go!" Serena gasped weakly, terror filling her eyes as she watched her love writhe in agony beside her.

"Serena.. give me your hand!" the other gasped, somehow believing that if he only could hold her hand, then somehow they could defeat the monster that held them. And as Darien watched, he could almost see the change overtake his other self.. the change from caring for this girl that he always tormented to a form of love for her.

"Trying..." Serena whispered, straining her hand towards his, tears stinging her eyes. "I can't reach!!"

"Come on, I know we can do it!!" the other urged, trying even harder as his fingers brushed against hers... only to have his hand be viscously kicked away. Gasping, he quickly drew in his injured digits as he glared up at the alien form of what was once Alan. "Why'd you bring us here?"

Instead of answering the other's question, Alan chose instead to sneer down at the young man. "Keep your crummy hands away from her, you hear me?!" he bellowed angrily, fighting at the hot wave of jealousy that filled him.

Instantly Ann was beside him as she angrily put her hands on her hips. "Alan, you have no right to talk to Darien like that!" she huffed, her eyes flashing with anger.

"So you finally admit you like the guy?...."

Sighing, Darien tuned out the squabbling of the two aliens and instead focused on Serena's pained expression. Why was she always put through such heartache? Why was she always tested... she didn't deserve this.

Suddenly, Ann's angry words broke through his thoughts. "I'm not being a drama queen!" she hissed furiously as she turned sparkling eyes to the tree that towered behind them. "Doom Tree, I command you to zap blondie over there!" she ordered, her voice cold and devoid of all emotion except hatred.

"No, wait!" Alan interrupted, turning to point at the other that was grasped in the tree's rooted grip. "Her boy toy will give you more energy!"

"Not true!"

"The sooner you zap this guy, the sooner Ann will come back to her senses!"

"Yeah, but that bimbo doesn't even appreciate her energy!" Ann hissed, "Take hers first!"

Shaking his head, Darien quickly closed his eyes as the tortured screams of his angel and his other self tore through his mind. Wincing, he remembered all to well the pain that had ensued as the Doom Tree sucked at his energy. "Serena," he whispered quietly.

"Darien no!" Ann screamed as she jumped forward.

"I've got to save her!" Alan yelled out, echoing Ann's movements as they lunged for the roots that ensnared the two humans that they cared for, pulling at the vines for all that they were worth, knowing that the lives of the two humans depended on them.

"Doom Tree, let 'em go!" Ann screamed, sweat lining her face.

"Hang in there Serena! I'll save you!" Alan grunted.

"You heard me, now let him go!" Ann ordered, a note of desperation entering her voice. "I'm ordering you! Why aren't you listening to me?!"

"Why this girl? She's never done anything to hurt us!!" Alan protested.

"She's never done anything to hurt anyone," Darien mumbled quietly, his eyes locked on Serena's pain-filled blue eyes as Alan and Ann were shoved away by the tree's energy, releasing his angel and his other self as they began falling to the ground.

"They're falling..." Alan broke off as he dived after Serena's limp form.

"Gotta save him..." Ann cried out, chasing after Darien's other self.

Shaking his head, Darien watched as both were caught and gently lowered the rest of the way to the ground, both heads cradled in the aliens' laps. Without even realizing it, his fist slowly closed and clenched beside him as Alan cradled his angel in his arms. "If I can't even hold her... haven't been able to hold her in the last two years, why can he?" he grumbled, turning away from the sight.

"Serena, are you alright?"

"Talk to me Darien! Darien?" Ann pleaded, holding back the tears of worry that filled her eyes. But instead of a reply from the humans that they cared about, a different set of voices rang out, causing the two to step away from Serena and the other's unconscious forms.

"Let them go Negatrash!"   
"Yeah, you!!"   
"We want our friends back!"   
"And that means now, hairballs!!"

Surprised, Darien turned away from Serena's limp form and felt a small smile turn his lips. The Sailor Scouts had arrived.

"Well look who dropped in! The Sailor Saps!!" Alan and Ann taunted before sending a blast at the scouts, scattering them about.

But not to be beaten, Darien watched as Mars quickly regained her ground and glared at the two... if only she hadn't been killed in his time... perhaps then his world still would have stood a chance... but Darien quickly shook that thought away and smiled sadly. No, the world would have always been lost without Serena.

"Mars Firebird Strike!" Sailor Mars commanded, only to cry out her denial as her blast was easily shoved away.

"Mercury bubbles..."   
"Jupiter thunder..."   
"Venus meteor..." the scouts began, only to be halted as all three of them were blasted to the ground, cries of pain leaving their lips.

"You're on our territory now, sailor failures!" Alan taunted, an evil gleam lighting his eyes.

"Let's do that again!" Ann agreed, smiling wickedly as they unleashed their powers upon them. "Feel the burn!!" she screamed as the scouts cried out in pain, blasted in their places on the ground.

But then, yet another voice caught Darien's attention as he turned and watched his Serena stumble to her feet, ignoring her pain as she glared at the two aliens.

"That's it.. I'm steamed," she seethed, trying to fight back the tears as she watched her friends get hurt, and all for her. "Moon Crystal Power!!" she cried out, holding her locket out before her as the familiar wave of energy wrapped around her. A few moments later, Sailor Moon stood in her place.

"No way! Serena can't be Sailor Moon!" Darien vaguely heard Alan cry out as he turned his cold, dark eyes back to the trouble-makers. Now they were really in for it.

"That little blond airhead?! No wonder she's such a klutz!" Ann growled, her eyes narrowing on the leader of the scouts.

Hearing Ann's words, Sailor Moon jut out her chin defiantly. "So you think I'm a klutz?" she asked, unable to hide her anger. "Well this klutz is teaching you a lesson! I stand behind my friends.. and furballs," she added almost apologetically as she glanced at the downed forms of Luna and Artemis. "In the name of the moon, I will punish you! Surrender, you slimy viruses, or you're moon dusted!" she proclaimed, taking a fighting stance as she held her moon wand ready.

Almost growling at her enemy, Ann quickly nodded her head. "All right--"

"Hold on Ann," Alan quickly interrupted, putting a soft hand on her shoulder.

Growing even angrier, Ann quickly shook his hand away. "Why? 'Cause you have a crush on her?" she retorted angrily. "What? Are you going all soft and mushy on me? Alan, that ditz is the leader of the sailor brats and the best way to get rid of them is to get rid of her!" she cried, her anger completely consuming her now. "Hey, if you don't agree, just book it and I'll find someone else to help feed the Doom Tree!!"

"Ouch," Darien mumbled, shaking his head as he took in Alan's hurt expression. He definitely didn't want to be on the end of that girl's wrath. One was very likely to get burned by doing that.

"What?" Alan gasped, drawing back even further. "You can't do that..." he trailed off as a soft cry caught his attention.

Following Alan's narrowed gaze, Darien felt his heart warm as he watched Sailor Moon kneel beside his other's limp form, tears filling her eyes.

"Darien, can you hear me?" she pleaded, gently squeezing his hand. "Are you alright? Please Darien, talk to me!" she pleaded, unable to fight the tears now. "It's me, Darien, Serena... I'm so sorry..." she whispered, closing her eyes as her hot tears streaked down her face.

Shaking his head, Darien marveled at the love that Serena obviously held for him. At one time, that love had been directed at him... until he had lost her. He had always been so lucky to have her love... and if the fates would just give him that chance again, he would prove to everyone that he was worthy of it.

"Doesn't look like your boy toy is going to be too interested in hanging around you," Alan taunted, catching Darien's attention as he glanced back up at the duo.

"That bimbo... it's her fault! She's poisoned his mind against me!" Ann cried out in denial, her anger quickly burning away her sadness and hurt.

Sighing, Alan quickly shook his head. "Forget it Ann! The guy's a human and they're only good for one thing--Doom Tree fertilizer," he spelled out, not missing the shock that registered on her face. "You know I'm right, Ann."

"He would have to taunt the unstable one," Darien sighed, wiping a hand wearily across his face. He didn't remember any of this.. but then again, that wasn't so surprising. Turning, he looked back at his unconscious form, his eyes skipping over Sailor Moon. He had been unconscious at the time.

"Why would he chose her over me?.. I won't stand for this!!" she screamed, her anger truly blinding her now. "If I can't have Darien, no one will!" she hissed, all traces of sanity having long ago departed.

Cringing, Darien silently watched as the alien unleashed a torrent of energy upon Sailor Moon and his other self, blasting them and sending them flying back, both crying out in pain. Yet throughout it all, Sailor Moon never once let go of his hand.

"Oh Darien, hang in there!" Serena gasped, trying to stagger beside her love. Even if he didn't remember her or their time together, she remembered it all and would never forget.

"Look at that clingy little wimp!" Ann hissed, drawing her energy to her once again as she unleashed yet another torrent. "Let go of him!"

"She won't," Alan interrupted, his face a mask of cold indifference. "If there's one thing I learned it's that she's a true friend..."

"Glad you learned something from all of this," Darien muttered darkly as he watched Sailor Moon struggle to stand beside her love.

"She's loyal and she's strong," Alan continued, never having heard Darien's words... they never did. "She'll never desert him--even if it means her own downfall," he said sadly before turning to look at the tree that had provided them life for so long. "Doom Tree, since they refuse to separate, go ahead and drain all of their energy. Do it now! They're no use to either of us.."

"No way!!" the Sailor Scouts tried to interrupt, only to receive yet another blast that sent them tumbling.

But seeing this, Sailor Moon quickly staggered to her feet, her scepter held out before her. "Moon scepter--" she cut off as Ann blasted her, sending her falling beside Darien's other self.

"Nice try, brat!" Ann hissed, a brief smile lighting her lips, only to be replaced by a large frown as the warrior quickly scrambled to her knees besides the other as he began to moan softly.

"Darien, can you hear me?" she gasped, hope lighting her eyes. "It's me, Darien, Sailor Moon..." she trailed off as he slowly smiled up at her.

"Meatball head," was his softly whispered reply, instantly bringing a grin to Darien's face. Yes, he remembered this.

Half laughing, half crying, Sailor Moon quickly pulled his hand to her lips, her eyes shining. "That's right," she whispered, the world obviously disappearing around her. "So you finally remember us? Oh Darien, do you remember about the Moon Princess?" she asked, holding her breath as she awaited his answer.

"Yes, my sweet," the other whispered back, ignoring the pain that flared within his battered body.

Smiling, Sailor Moon quickly shook her head. "We'll be together again!" she cried, the tears streaking down her face. "Just like you were there for me, Darien, I'll fight to protect our kingdom so that we can be as happy and peaceful now as we were then... do you remember?" she questioned again.

Smiling, Darien slowly nodded his head. "Yes, my love, I remember it all so well," he answered as he knelt beside her, gently running his hand inches from her cheek, knowing that he couldn't touch her soft skin.

"Yes, I remember everything," the other replied warmly.

"Knock it off!" a sudden, harsh and abrasive voice rang out, breaking into the soft moment as another energy blast hit both Sailor Moon and Darien's other, sending them flying back and to the ground.

As fury consumed him, Darien quickly turned around and glared at the evil duo. "Leave them alone!" he roared, knowing that none save him would ever hear his angry cries.

"Sailor Moon!" he heard Luna cry out, echoing his plea to stop.

Instead of a response, Ann laughed in a way that chilled everyone to the bone.

"They're helpless!" Jupiter gasped, struggling to her feet before weakly falling back to the ground as Ann prepared another attack.

"No!!" Sailor Moon screamed, jumping in front of the other and taking the attack head on, sparing her love from further injury as she fought to stay on her feet.

"She's brave," Alan murmured. "Even braver than I thought," he mused, and already Darien could see the change begin to overtake the young man. It was the beginning of Alan's turn from evil to good.

"You don't know what bravery is, or friendship... all you know is evil!" Sailor Moon gasped, struggling to hold in her cries of pain as the energy bombarded against her.

"That's right," Ann replied smugly, finally stopping the attack as she crossed her arms across her chest. "So glad you finally noticed!" she hissed as she blasted the couple some more. "Renounce your love for Darien and I may spare you."

"No," Serena gasped, fighting the pain that wracked her body. "I never renounce my feelings! True love can't be taken away by anyone!"

At her words, Darien felt his smile grow even bigger. Even disheveled, in pain, and facing bad odds, Serena never let the adversity get to her. And throughout it all, her love for him shined through... even though the love wasn't directed at him, Darien felt its warmth through the amazed look in his other's eyes, amazement that such an angel could possibly love him.

"You're a sentimental fool," Ann hissed, her eyes narrowing on the golden soldier that stood defiantly before her, "but I can make you change your mind in a flash, romeo!" she screamed as she let loose another blast... only to watch as Darien jumped in front of Sailor Moon, taking the blast head on as both were thrown against a wall, crumbling to the ground.

"Sailor Moon!!" Alan cried out, taking a hesitant step forward as his worried eyes focused on her beaten form.

"Darien!!" she cried, pulling the other into her arms as the tears streaked down her face. He wasn't as strong as she was in his human form--his body couldn't handle this. "Oh Darien, we'll still have each other, no matter what they do to us!" she sobbed as she hung onto him tightly, feeling his life slowly slip away.

As Serena's tears tore at Darien's heart, he slowly turned away and focused on the two that floated above them. "Why must she always be forced to fight?" he whispered, knowing that he'd get no answer.

"I've never seen anyone so sad.. maybe this is wrong," Alan whispered, touched by her tears and weeping.

"What is?" Ann asked, turning to him as she arched a finely sculpted eyebrow.

"This destroying love..." he murmured, as though in a daze, "it's such a beautiful thing..."

"Huh?!"

"Can't you see how they love each other?" Alan asked, turning to Ann in exasperation. "Even if she is our enemy, it'd be wrong to destroy them."

"Well said," Darien nodded, watching the exchange quietly, trying to ignore the nagging feeling that his other self wasn't doing so hot. He survived it last time.. why would now be any different?

"You're just weak, Alan!" Ann accused, her eyes blazing as she turned on her companion.

Instantly, Darien's attention was divided as he watched Jupiter stagger to her feet, her eyes blazing with anger. "No, you're the one who's weak!!" she accused, nodding at Ann. "You don't have any real friends and the only real emotions you know are hatred and vengeance and jealousy!!"

"Can it!" Ann growled out, ignoring the feeling that Jupiter's words were hitting closer to home than she would have liked. Drawing back, she was about to unleash yet another torrent of energy upon the scout when a rose came out of nowhere, slicing in the energy's path.

"The Moonlight Knight!" the scouts cried out in unison, causing a small smirk to light Darien's face.

"Ah yes, and here comes my alter ego to the rescue," he laughed, completely without mirth as he tuned out the little speech and the events that followed. Instead, he slowly stepped forward until he was kneeling beside Sailor Moon and his other self. Up close, he saw that the damage was even worse as his other was struggling to breathe, his eyes drifting close as he had little energy to keep him going. "What's going on?" he whispered, his eyes narrowing as he took in the extensive damage. Turning, he saw that Sailor Moon wasn't even quite aware of how bad the other's injuries were, her attention instead focused on the death of Ann. Turning, he watched as the Doom Tree reared back, preparing to kill Alan as well when Sailor Moon suddenly stood from beside him, tears streaming down her pale face.

"**STOP THIS NOW!!! SAVE THEM!!!**" she screamed, and to Darien's surprise, everything did stop.

"You think so Sailor Moon?" the Doom Tree asked as Darien turned away once again, kneeling beside his other self.

Something was wrong.. something was very wrong and he could feel it deep within himself. Serena's attention was divided, totally absorbed in learning about the Tree of Life, but Darien couldn't pull his eyes away from his other. "This is not good," he murmured, feeling a wave of sympathy pour through him. It was almost as though he could feel his other, as though they were becoming one. But in a way, they were already one... they weren't separate entities and had never been so.. it was always his soul within.

And then, as Sailor Moon accepted the tree's plea to heal it, Darien watched the light leave his other's eyes, watched in disbelief as the other took his last breath. And then... and then he felt everything change, felt himself drawn into the body as the soul of the other, his soul, all became one as he changed into the Moonlight Knight.. as he became real. Shaking his head, Darien looked down at himself in wonder, and then turned as he took in Sailor Moon's form, standing beside the body of Darien. "She doesn't realize," he whispered, shaking his head as he took a hesitant step forward.

"Oh no... I killed the tree," Sailor Moon whispered, her eyes locked on where the tree once sat, vaguely noticing that her friends, the ruins of the building, everything was gone except for her and her love, ensconed in a thick white fog.

"No Sailor Moon, you healed it," Darien whispered, stepping closer to his love and watching as, for the first time in over two years, the eyes of his love met his own.

"Moonlight Knight!" she gasped, taking a step back as she glanced down at her love. Instantly, a frown creased her forehead as she noticed that Darien didn't look quite right. But before she could think further on that, she turned once more to her mysterious savior. "I thought you disappeared," she whispered, unsure as to what was going on, or how to act.

"Sailor Moon," Darien whispered, a small smile touching his lips, hidden by the folds of cloth, "Serena, Moon Princess..."

"You know all that?" Sailor Moon gasped, shaking her head as she strayed yet another glance down at her love's so-still form.

"Of course I do," Darien whispered, stepping closer so that he was mere inches from her. "How could I not?" he asked as he pulled on the cloth that hid his face from view, grinning as Serena's smile turned into one of confusion.

"Darien!? I don't understand!" she gasped, shaking her head slowly.

"And unfortunately, I don't really know how to explain," Darien whispered, wanting to reach out and touch her but knowing he couldn't quite yet.

"But how can you be the Moonlight Knight?" she asked, turning to stare down at her love's form, lying beside them.

"Oh, I'm not," Darien quickly replied, shaking his head as her confusion only deepened. "I mean, the Moonlight Knight was my soul that fought the negaverse..."

"What do you mean?" Serena asked, her brows scrunching up in confusion. He was standing there right before her.. how could Darien **not** be the Moonlight Knight? And how could he be lying at her feet at the same time? What was going on?!

"Well..." Darien trailed off, trying to remember exactly what the Moonlight Knight was.. that happened so long ago! Around five years ago in his memory. "Um, well you see in the battle against Beryl I lost all of my memories of the Moon Kingdom," Darien explained, "and yet deep inside some part of me always knew that I must protect you from the Negaforce. So, the Moonlight Knight was created to fulfill that mission... he existed only to protect you and to help the Sailor Scouts... but there's no longer any need for him now that I'm back..." he trailed off, realizing at last what this meant. Amy said that in order for him to finally be with his love, his other self had to perish and then he would take his place.... he was taking off where the other left off.

"You're leaving?" Sailor Moon asked in surprise, shaking her head quickly.

"Only to where I belong...." Darien trailed off as he found himself wrapped in the fog, his love disappearing from sight as he felt his spirit finally merge with his body. Shaking his head, Darien slowly sat up, wincing at the pain he felt in his body from all of the attacks that it had sustained during the fight with Alan and Ann.... but if he felt pain, then that meant that it really had worked. As his eyes widened, Darien quickly turned and found Sailor Moon, his love, kneeling beside him in the ruins of Alan and Ann's apartment, her eyes unfocused and lost in her own world.

"Serena?" he asked softly, moving until he was kneeling before her, gently reaching out until his skin brushed against hers. Instantly, tears flooded his eyes as he realized that for the first time in at least two years, he was touching his love. He was real again and could hold her in his arms.

"Ugh.." Serena moaned, her eyes fluttering open. "Is that really you?" she whispered, her crystalline blue eyes finally focusing on the clear blue of her love.

"It sure is, Meatball Head," Darien whispered back, watching as a look of pure amazement and joy flooded Serena's eyes.

"Darien, I can't believe it!" she suddenly squealed as she dove into his arms, wrapping her small arms tightly around his neck.

Startled, it took a moment for Darien to process this before he gently pulled her close, vowing to never let her go.

"It's so perfect! Everything is okay!!" she cried out, tears of joy finally flooding her eyes and trailing down her cheeks. "Oh Darien.. I was so afraid that I'd lose you again!" she sobbed.

"Never again," Darien vowed, knowing that he meant every word. And then, before he knew it she was out of his arms and tying up the loose ends with Alan and Ann. Shaking his head, Darien mainly stood in shock as Ann was healed and as the good-byes were said. Confused, he reached for the place that he always held the star locket and was relieved to find it gone from him pocket... he was truly Darien now. He was back and his love was his once again.

"Gotta feeling," Sailor Moon whispered, her eyes locked on Alan and Ann as they slowly disappeared, the sapling of the Tree of Life in hand, content to have Darien's arm draped casually over her shoulder. "I think they're going to make it this time."

"Huh?" Darien asked, broke from his thoughts as he stared down at his love, the angel that he held in his arms. "Yeah, I hope so," he mumbled distractedly, his eyes lost in her own.

"And what about us?" she asked, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Hey, what about you?!" the voices of her friends rang out, distracting the couple of their thoughts as they looked up to see that they were surrounded by a group of gossip hungry girls.

"Alright, give us the buzz! You guys an item or...." Sailor Mars trailed off slowly. Suddenly, all thoughts of pestering the couple for details was forgotten as she looked quizzically up at Darien, a small frown pulling at her lips. "Darien... there's something different about you," she finally murmured, wracking her mind for the strange feeling that was pulling at her. That everything was not quite as it had been with Serena's love.

"What?" Darien asked in surprise, unconsciously holding Serena closer to him, finding comfort in her presence. "But--" he began, only to be cut off as Sailor Mercury lay a gentle hand on his arm.

"Quit talking nonsense, Rae, and leave them alone," Mercury stated in their defense, interrupting any further questioning as Darien stared down at the blue-haired girl in response. "They have waited too long for this moment," she added quietly, her intelligent blue eyes meeting Darien's head-on.

And for some strange reason, Darien had a feeling that Mercury knew exactly what had happened, all that had passed.

_"But you'll die," Darien murmured weakly as he clenched the locket in his hand._

_ "Only this body... my spirit will live on," Amy whispered as a single tear dripped_   
_down. "My soul will be waiting there for you..."_

Smiling, Darien slowly nodded his head. They were all here.. all of their souls had returned for this one moment where they were finally all reunited. In that moment, he realized that his Serena's Darien, the other, hadn't really died.. but instead it had needed his soul in order to make it complete... when his soul had merged with that of the other they had enough strength to continue on. They had another chance to do it all over again.. and to do it right this time. "Thank you," he whispered as Sailor Mercury ushered the others away, leaving them alone on the demolished ruins of Alan and Ann's apartment building.

Smiling at the antics of her friends and thankful for the privacy that they had been given, Serena slowly shook her head, her twin tails of gold settling around her shoulders as she looked up in Darien's blue eyes. "I can't believe that it's really you, that you've finally come back to me," she whispered as tears of joy glimmered in her large, expressive blue eyes, slowly reaching one gloved hand up to settle it on her love's smooth cheek, unable to stop it from shaking. "This moment has been so long in coming..."

"You have no idea," Darien replied with a small smile as he took Serena's, his Sailor Moon's, small gloved hand into his own. Her words seemed prophetic and perfect, as though she really had been waiting all this time for him to find her again. "I never gave up," he whispered, even as a look of confusion filled her blue eyes, the eyes that were windows into Serena's soul and showing him once and for all that he was finally reunited with the one he loved, "for all of eternity...." he whispered aloud as he drew the small girl into his arms.

"Darien?" she questioned as she held her one true love close, confused by his words.

"I love you, Serena," was his only reply. "I will love you until the end of time and after, for all of eternity... I'll never let you go again."

Warmed by his words, Serena closed her eyes and slowly tilted her head back until she felt Darien's soft lips on her own. His kiss, the kiss that he had been missing for so long, sealed his vow and she knew that her love had finally returned to her... all was finally right in the world and she would never leave his side or be alone again. Nothing, not even death, would ever have the power to break their bonds of love--they would forever live together in eternal serenity. _~I've found you again... our love __always and forever...~_

************************************************************************************************

Crystal Tokyo

With a bright flash of light, Pluto appeared within the beautiful grounds of the Crystal Palace, a wailing Reenie in hand.

"I want **MY** **MOMMY AND DADDY!!!**" the little girl screamed, the tears pouring down her small face as she pushed desperately away from Puu, wanting nothing more than to be in her parents' arms. How could Serena and Darien not be her Mommy and Daddy?! It was just supposed to be another visit to Tokyo, to her parents' earlier selves.. but Serena had died. Serena was **dead** and Serena wasn't her mommy! "**_NO!!!_**" she wailed, kicking her feet out desperately.

"Reenie--" Sailor Pluto broke off, tears pouring down her cheeks as the Sailor Scouts and the King and Neo-Queen came running into the room, their faces white and panicked.

"Reenie!" Neo-Queen Serenity cried out, dropping to her knees as her tiny daughter barreled into her waiting arms. "Oh baby, what happened?" she asked quickly, gently stroking her daughter's soft pink hair even as she shot wild eyes back and forth between her husband and Sailor Pluto.

"Serena's dead!" Reenie wailed with such heartache that instantly everyone in the room stumbled slightly, shaking their heads in confusion as their eyes shot to their queen, still obviously alive and well before them.

"But.. I don't understand," Neo-Queen Serenity whispered, confusion shining in her bright blue eyes as her husband slowly knelt beside her. "She was just to go back to Tokyo of the past...."

"Shh... I've got it Serena," King Endymion broke in with a sad and knowing smile as he took the little girl from his wife. Even though his daughter's tortured screams had made his heart beat faster, he had been expecting them ever since his daughter had left. She needed to see the death of that Serena in order for him to finally find his way back to his love. Now, he just needed to explain that to his daughter and the others. Even though the years had passed, Darien had not once mentioned what had happened to him. In all honesty, he didn't know why except that he didn't want to distress his wife. His Neo-Queen Serenity was the exact same Serena that had died in his arms so long ago when killed by a disgruntled servant of Queen Serenity.. it was still his angel and this was just something that she didn't need to know. Yet at times, he could swear that there was a knowing look in her eyes. Even though it was impossible for her to know, he still felt at times that his secrecy was not needed.. that somehow his love **sensed** what had transpired, just as it seemed Mercury possessed that same keen knowledge. In the end, though, he knew that only he could help his daughter with what none of the others could understand.

Biting her lip, Serenity slowly nodded her head as she passed her daughter uncertainly away and into her husband's capable arms. For some reason, she knew what needed to be done. "Come," she murmured as she slowly began backing away towards the door, her eyes locked on her husband and child. "Come along everyone," she repeated, her voice louder and firmer as she nodded at the scouts, waving her hand towards the door and quickly ushering each out the door, ignoring their questions as she quietly pulled the door closed behind her.

Sighing, King Endymion silently thanked his wife for her trust as he rearranged himself on the floor and cradled his daughter in his lap, dismayed by her torrent of tears. All those years ago, Sailor Pluto had not allowed him to comfort his daughter... now it was his chance. "Shh Reenie," he whispered softly, gently stroking her hair as he bent down to kiss her forehead.

"Daddy, Serena's dead," Reenie half sobbed, half whispered as the tears poured down her cheeks. Even at her young age she understood too well what death meant.. it meant that Serena was never coming back and that she would never smile at Reenie again, or marry her Darien... she would never be her mommy.

"Serena's life ended in that Tokyo," Endymion acknowledged as he gently wiped her tears away, "but her light will always shine--it was her light that allowed me to find your Mom again." Even as Reenie's sobs slowly died away, he knew that it would be a long time before she was truly healed of what she had seen... a long time until she would find the heart and courage to visit their past again. "Serenity's warm light is eternal like a brightly shining star. Eternal Serenity," he soothed as he drew the trembling girl tighter into his strong arms.

Unbeknownst to him, a single pair of bright eyes watched all of this from the door as hot tears streaked down her pale face.

_"... never forget your promise to me... never stop looking for me..." she murmured as_   
_she fought against the darkness--forever fighting. "... when our locket, the symbol_   
_of our love, stops playing... only then will all hope be lost... find me again in life and_   
_not in death......." she whispered as her eyes pleaded with Darien, filled with so much_   
_love and warmth._

_ "I'll find you again," Darien vowed as Serena's eyes slid shut for the last time,_   
_her body going limp in his strong arms._

Smiling softly, she clutched the star locket tightly in her hand as a small smile curved her gentle lips. "Thank you, my love, for finding me again, and for never giving up, for it's our love that is eternal. I knew that I couldn't leave you forever... I knew that you wouldn't let me down. Anything for our love..." Neo-Queen Serenity murmured softly as the star locket clicked open, eternally playing their song.

**The End**

   [1]: mailto:Lisette_1@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/5977/index.html



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